American Bison
The history of American Bison has shown both the tragedy of
overexploitation and the miracles that can occur when
conservation efforts are created.
American Bison (Bison bison) belong to the family Bovidae, which
includes cattle and goats. Due to the misnomer given by early
settlers because of the resemblance to the herds of oxen in Asia
and Africa, they are sometimes called buffalo. One main physical
difference is the large shoulder hump found on the bison.
Bison are the largest land mammals found in North America since
the end of the Ice Age, reaching lengths up to 10 feet and
shoulder lengths up to 6 feet. They can weigh over a ton. They
have a huge head with a single pair of curved, horns, a large
shoulder hump, and tapered hindquarters. They are covered with
wooly hair that varies in color with the season, but is usually
dark brown to black.
Despite their great size, bison are quite agile and can run up
to 35 miles per hour. They have poor eyesight, but acute hearing
and an exceptional sense of smell. Though they can appear
peaceful and unconcerned, their temperament is unpredictable,
and can respond quickly when disturbed.
During most of the year the older bulls remain separated from
the main herd of females and calves, but they return during
mating season which peaks in July and August. Females are very
protective of their young, and can become aggressive if
threatened. Male bison do not take part in caring for the young.
The gestation period lasts about 285 days, and births usually
occur in April and May. Calves are a reddish-brown or buff
color, generally weigh 30 to 70 pounds, and do not have the
apparent hump of the adult bison. It will stand to nurse within
30 minutes, walk within hours, and in one to two days join the
herd with its mother. The calf stays with its mother for about
three years. Life span for bison can range from 18 to 22 years.
Bison are grazers, and their diet consists of various grasses
and sedges, and will sometimes feed on berries and lichens.
Adults need an average of about 30 pounds of forage daily. In
the winter, they will use their head and hooves to clear the
snow from vegetation, and will eat snow when water is covered
with ice.
Bison were highly important to many American Indians. Almost
every part of the bison could be used for some purpose. Besides
the use of meat for food and the hides for clothing, the teeth,
bones, fat, organs and even excrement of bison were of use to
many tribes.
When European settlers arrived, bison populations were estimated
at approximately 50 million animals. Through the next centuries
the number drastically decreased, falling to about 1,500 by the
late 1800s. However, with help from conservationists and private
owners, the bison population has increased significantly and is
now numbered at over 350,000 nationwide. The American bison
began its come back in the rugged landscape of southwest
Oklahoma. In 1905, William T. Hornaday and others organized the
American Bison Society and demanded that the buffalo be given
care and protection. Through the efforts of the American Bison
Society and the New York Zoological Society, an offer was made
to donate 15 bison to the Wichita National Forest and Game
Preserve (now the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge).
Congress set aside $15,000 for this purpose, and on October 11,
1907, 15 buffalo from the New York Zoological Park were shipped
by rail to Oklahoma. Seven days later, these seven bulls and
eight cows had safely returned to the plains and mountains.
Today the herd numbers about 600 strong and bison from the
Wichita’s have been transported to begin and bolster new herds
across the country. Bison can also be seen at the Nature
Conservancy’s Tallgrass Prairie Preserve near Ponca City.
Considering the drastic number that bison were reduced to just a
few generations ago, it is a true gift that we can see them
today.