Bisons in Russia. Bison or American bison: description of the animal, photos and videos What a bison eats

No animal personifies the richness of the prairie and its merciless exploitation to such an extent as the American bison. It's hard to imagine that it was once inhabited by 60 million bison. It must have been an incredible sight as herds numbering over 1,000 animals gathered on the grassy steppe in the summer. An estimated 250,000 to 350,000 bison live in American national parks and breeding farms today.

THE LARGEST WILD BULL

Bison is the most large mammal North America. Bulls reach 2 m at the withers, body length 3.5 m, weight 1000 kg. Females are smaller and lighter, but their appearance is no less impressive. The powerful skull of a bison with a pronounced withers rising above it is “crowned” with two short horns and a thick “cap of hair” between them. The length of the hair reaches 50 cm, the back part has a short hairline and appears relatively thin. Bison are usually brown in color, but gray, spotted and white individuals are also found.

Bison and bison (Bison bonasus) due to phylogenetic development (phylogeny, phylogeny - process historical development organisms, or evolution organic world both in general and various types, classes, orders, families, genera, species) are very close relatives, so they can even be crossed. The ancestors of bison moved from Eurasia to America approximately 140,000 years ago along the then land bridge between the Asian and American continents. The results of the analysis of the hereditary factors of bison bones suggest that a sharp climate change about 37,000 years ago destroyed most of the then population, as a result of which the spread and further genetic development of bison stopped. From once upon a time much more diverse species species, the only survivors were the European bison and American bison. In America, two subspecies have developed: the American steppe bison (Bison bison bison) and the larger and darker American forest bison (Bison bison athabascoe). Wood bison are found only in a remote part of Wood Buffalo National Park in . They have good vision, hearing and acute sense of smell. They sense danger at a distance of up to 2 km. Animals carefully care for their skin. They enjoy rubbing against tree trunks and love to take sand and dust baths.

CONSTANT MOVEMENT

Herds of bison roam the steppe in search of food. Every day they eat a large number of grass and herbaceous plants. Bison graze mainly in the morning and evening hours, and spend the midday time calmly, slowly chewing their cud. Despite their awkward build, they can reach speeds of up to 50 km/h. It is difficult to talk about the way of life of bison in the past: they were exterminated before they were studied. In the fall, many herds descended to the south, traveling up to 650 km in search of better pastures, and the following spring returned to their summer pastures located to the north. The bison easily tolerated bad weather conditions. They could easily dig out lichens, mosses and dry grass with their heads from under a thick cover of snow.

SOUL OF THE PRAIRIE

Nomadic life turned bison into important factor maintaining the stability of the prairie ecosystem. Seeds get stuck in their fur, which fall off in another place during long animal raids. Thus, they contribute to maintaining the diversity of steppe vegetation.

It has already been proven that bison did not have an innate habit of wandering. Today they do not try to escape from animal breeding farms or leave reserves if they have enough food at their disposal. Within a group, animals stay close to each other. Wolves, for example, very rarely manage to isolate a bison, and even then the outcome of the upcoming battle is often unclear. By the time their calves are born—between March and July—cows sometimes become isolated, but many produce their young while in the herd. The duration of pregnancy is from 270 to 300 days. One cub, rarely two. A newborn calf can stand for 30 minutes and then follow the herd a few hours later. Babies feed on mother's milk for approximately 9 months and reach sexual maturity at 3 years.

LIFE OF THE PRAIRIE INDIANS

From the mid-18th to the mid-19th centuries, some Indian tribes lived almost exclusively by hunting bison. Unlike the whites, who shot animals for pleasure, the Indians used the caught animals almost completely: the meat was a source of food, they made supplies from it (they dried it for the winter), they made clothes and tents from fur and leather, and tools and toys from bones. The importance of the bison to the Indians is reflected in myths. According to legend, a woman named White Buffalo brought a sacred pipe to the Indians and taught them to pray to the Great Spirit with her.

The leader of the Oglala Sioux tribe, Black Elk (1863-1952), told the American ethnologist Joseph Epes Brown about her disappearance: “Having walked around the tent in the direction of the sun, the sacred woman began to move away, but then looked back at the people and sat down. When she stood up, everyone saw to their surprise that she had become a red-brown buffalo calf. This cub walked a little, lay down and began to wallow. He looked at the people, and when he stood up, he turned out to be a white buffalo. He distanced himself even more from people, stopped, and after bowing to all four sides of the Universe, disappeared behind the hill, so that during the end of the world, in the form of the White Buffalo woman, he would return again and bring peace to the Earth.”

RELENTLESS EXTERMINATION

Around 1830, the shooting of bison began to sell fresh meat to workers. Travelers shot thousands of animals directly from trains. The herds were divided into northern and southern populations. The livestock in the south was exterminated in 1871-1875, in the north - in 1880-1884.

In 1889, of the 60 million bison that once inhabited the prairie, only about 800 remained. That this tiny population was saved is a great credit to William T. Hornday, who founded the American Bison Society in 1905 and advocated for the creation of sanctuaries. Now in North America There are between 250,000 and 350,000 bison.

Commercial bison

Mad cow disease and hormone scandals have increased demand for bison meat. Due to their strength, bison cope very well with adverse weather conditions. They can be kept outdoors and only require special food in winter. To keep commercial bison, you must obtain permission from the veterinary department. Bison being tested for rabies

Once upon a time, wild and warlike animals lived on Earth. They were quite impressive in size. Most of them became extinct as a result of sudden climate change, but close relatives of some have survived to this day, they live in modern world and are an integral part of the earth's fauna. American bison – bright that example. Bison belong to the bovid family of the artiodactyl order and are representatives of the bison genus.

Based on the findings of scientists, bison appeared on our planet as a separate species about five million years ago. How did they manage to survive all the disasters on planet Earth and continue to exist? Most likely, the fact is that they had very big sizes(twice the size of modern bison), lived in large herds and their population was so large that it gave them an advantage in the struggle for survival.

The modern population of bison is represented by two species: the wood bison (it is very similar to) and the steppe bison.

Appearance of American bison

The height of the animal is about two meters. The body length is about three meters. With such dimensions, bison have a corresponding weight, it reaches 1.2 tons (the weight of a male, the weight of a female is about 700 kilograms).

The animal's hair is very thick, the fur is colored gray with a hint of brown, however, there are also light red and dark brown individuals.

The head of this mammal deserves special attention - it is very massive. The bison's wide forehead and powerful curved horns give it a very stern appearance. The head is attached to a short, strong neck, and a hump is visible on the buffalo’s scruff; this feature is its distinctive feature. The tail is not very long, with a tassel at the end. To support such a massive body, nature provided the bison with very strong and strong legs.

Distribution of wild bison

The main territory of residence of the buffalo (as the Americans call bison) is considered to be the territory of the continent of North America, mainly the northern and western part of the Missouri River.

American bison lifestyle

Despite their size and external clumsiness, bison are capable of running very fast. What's even more surprising: bison are excellent swimmers!

Listen to the voice of the American bison

Buffalo are classic herd animals; they cannot see their existence without a huge number of relatives nearby. Each herd has its own leaders. This role is played by the oldest and most experienced males; the entire herd obeys them unquestioningly.

Thanks to their abundant wool, bison can easily tolerate even very coldy(minus 30 degrees).

The life of bison in the wild lasts about 20–25 years.

What do bison eat?

The forest species of these animals consume grass, moss, branches of bushes, and lichens as food. As for steppe bison, the basis of their diet is herbaceous plants. One animal can eat about 25 kilograms of grass!

Bison breeding

The mating season for these animals occurs from July to September. One male begins to collect small harems for himself. Having gathered several females around itself, the male begins to fertilize.

Pregnancy in females lasts approximately 9 months, after which one calf is born. For the first year of its life, a bison calf feeds on its mother's milk.

Bison bison Linnaeus, 1758

Bison americanus

Among the bison of the usual brown and light brown color, there may be individuals with a sharply abnormal color.

Within the species, two subspecies are distinguished - the plain bison (Bison bison bison) and the wood bison (Bison bison atabascae), clearly distinguishable by their structural features and fur cover.

Plains bison (Bison bison bison)

Wood bison (Bison bison atabaskae)

Features of the structure and fur of the plain bison - Bison bison bison:

• Large head, dense head of hair between the horns, horns rarely protrude above the head of hair
• The highest point of the hump above the front legs, a thick beard and a pronounced mane of the throat, extended behind chest, well-defined fur cape, lighter in color than wood bison
• Smaller and lighter than wood bison (within the same age and sex),

Features of the structure and fur of the forest bison - Bison bison athabascae:

• Reduced head, dark bangs of hanging strands above the forehead, horns usually protrude above the bangs
• The highest point of the hump in front of the forelegs, a thin beard and rudimentary throat mane, an indistinct fur cape, the coat is usually darker than that of the plains bison
• Larger and heavier than plains bison (within the same age and sex).

Wood bison were discovered at the end of the 19th century. Some scientists consider the wood bison to be a surviving subspecies of the primitive bison (Bison priscus). To this day, they have survived only in dense swampy spruce forests in the basins of the Peace, Buffalo, and Birch rivers (flowing into lakes Athabasca and Great Slave).

The number of bison kept for commercial use is approximately 500,000 (mostly plains bison) on approximately 4,000 private ranches. However, according to the IUCN Red List Guidelines, commercial herds are not eligible to be considered in the Red List guide, so the total bison population is estimated at approximately 30,000 individuals, of which 20,000 have reached the age of sexual maturity. In the IUCN Red Book, the species is defined as being in a state close to threatened (NT) - (NEAR THREATENED).

Genetics

The species Bison bison has a diploid set of 60 chromosomes (2n 60).

The American bison interbreeds freely with the European bison, producing fertile offspring, the bison.

Presence of large genes cattle is almost ubiquitous among commercial plains bison herds tested to date, as a legacy of long-term efforts to create improved livestock breeds by crossing cattle (Bos taurus) and bison. Many social herds also have variable levels of bovine gene introgression.

Legal status

Spreading

Formerly bison, or buffalo, as it is called by North Americans, was distributed throughout almost all of North America, but is now found only north and west of Missouri.

Mass extermination in the USA

In the 19th century, the American bison population was massively exterminated for commercial purposes. Indian tribes, having received firearms and horses, began killing more buffalo than they needed for food and hides, selling the surplus to American traders. Huge numbers of American hunters killed hundreds of thousands of bison each year for their pelts, which were in great demand both in the United States and Europe. American ranchers destroyed bison to create territory and resources for their animals. US Army soldiers from posts located on the plains, as well as construction workers, ate bison meat railways. Bison hunting also became a popular pastime, even attracting Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich during his visit to North America in 1872. The US authorities were reluctant to take measures to protect the bison population, realizing the detrimental impact of extermination on the lives of the Indians, whom the government, not without problems, tried to resettle on land allocated on reservations. According to researchers, in 1800 the number of bison was 30-40 million animals, and by the end of the century they were almost completely exterminated: less than one thousand remained. The creation of Yellowstone National Park in 1872 was the first event to avoid the complete extinction of the species. However, the laws of that time only prohibited commercial hunting on federal lands, which was used by poachers to evade responsibility. Military patrols were unable to put an end to poaching, and only in 1894 was a law passed that completely prohibited any hunting of all animals not authorized by the park management.

Bison as a symbol

The bison, as the largest and most famous animal in North America, certainly had to appear on US banknotes (coins and banknotes).

Bison in philately

1898 US Postage Stamp - 4 cents, Indian Hunting Bison

The first postage stamp depicting an American bison was issued back in the century before last - on June 17, 1898 in the USA as part of a commemorative series for the Trans-Mississippi Exhibition. Since that time, postage stamps featuring the American bison have been issued.

Dear readers, in this article you will learn what the animal Bison is and what significance was attached to it in ancient times on various continents.

The bison is one of the largest land animals in North America and Europe. In nature, there are only two species: American and European. Even at the beginning of the last century, their number was quite large, but the destruction of individuals due to hunting led to the small number of the species.

Rare and endangered species

Today, bison live in nature reserves and protected areas under the protection of the law. Animals are listed in the Red Book. American bison are bred on private farms; there are no wild ones left. Previously, there was also a Pennsylvanian, very similar to the common steppe species.

Animals inhabited the lands of North America until their complete extinction. Scientists have identified Pennsylvania bison as a separate group due to their rich dark color and expressively curved back horns. The hump on the nape is not pronounced and is practically invisible. Since 1832, the species has completely disappeared from the globe.

Biological features

Appearance The animal is distinguished by its massive body structure, which is densely covered with thick dark brown hair. The color varies from light to deep dark brown tones, depending on the subspecies and habitat. At the withers, the hair length is much longer.

The wide forehead is complemented by thick horns. There is a hump on the back of the animal’s neck, enhancing the impressive appearance of the animal. Its body can reach three meters in length. Despite their massiveness, the animals swim well and are capable of developing good speed.

The powerful and massive bison has a herd instinct. The small number of populations does not allow the formation of the huge herds characteristic of it. A group of animals consists of a female and offspring. Males They join the herd only during the rutting season, living the rest of the time alone or in small groups.

Behavior and lifestyle

A herd of bison is constantly on the move, moving to new places to search for food. American bison feed in open grasslands and pastures, unlike European bison, which prefer to forage in the forest. The diet of herbivores consists of tree bark and leaves.

IN summer period they feed on young greenery and grass. IN autumn time animals supplement their main diet with nuts, wild berries and fruits, acorns, etc. They feed twice a day, in the morning and evening.

Herds of bison lead an active lifestyle during the daytime and during free time They rest from searching for food, or clean their fur with mud and dust baths. Bison American type during the rut or for long-distance migrations, several herds can be united together.

IN winter period When it is difficult for animals to find food, the herd, on the contrary, can break up into several small groups in the struggle for survival.

In nature, animals have practically no enemies; thanks to their massive body structure and strength, even wolves do not pose a danger to numerous herds. Predators are wary of attacking alone; they often try to separate young individuals from the main mass.

The strength of the American bison is surpassed only by the grizzly bear. European look quite unpredictable, changing his calm disposition to aggressiveness. The main enemy of the bison is humans, who massively exterminate entire populations of the species.

The animal Bison is the embodiment of a symbol in legends and cultures of the world

In various Indonesian and Asian countries, the buffalo is considered a sacred creature. In particular, the image of the animal is revered in Southeast Asia and India.

In the Buddhist religion, the god Yama, who commands death and the afterlife, is depicted sitting precisely on a buffalo. In the lands of Tibet, the heart of an animal symbolizes death.

In Chinese folk beliefs There is a legendary tale about the sage Lao Tzu leaving the country riding on an animal, implying calm contemplation of life.

In the countries of the North American continent, the bison is general definition for some similar species animals: bison, buffalo. The image combines opposite meanings, symbolizing the deadly power of a tornado and at the same time prosperity.

White individuals, due to their unusual nature, were usually sacrificed to the gods. After mass extermination, the symbolism had to be transferred to maize, which, like the buffalo, is the embodiment of male strength and fertility.

The bison often represents fearsome and, at the same time, peaceful power and strength. Sometimes the skull of an animal was used as an altar for ritual sacrifices to the gods.

Legends and tales of the Indians of North America tell of the birth of white bison, which are considered to be harbingers of the pole shift. The prophecy is based on an explanation of the reason for the occurrence of such anomalies caused by an unusual combination of genes.

The bison is also a special symbol among the Lakota people. It is believed that the animal was given by Mother Earth. Men of the people revere this beast as a symbol of responsibility for their people and protection of women. They treat white individuals with great respect. The animal is invariably present in the description of many rituals and customs. The Buffalo Ceremony for girls is filled with unsurpassed flavor and deep meaning.

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Buffalo is what North Americans are used to calling bison. This powerful bull is officially recognized as both a wild and domestic animal in three countries - Mexico, the USA and Canada.

Description of bison

The American bison (Bison bison) belongs to the family of bovids from the order Artiodactyla and together with it is included in the genus Bison (buffalo).

Appearance

The American bison would be almost indistinguishable from the bison, if not for the low-set head and thick matted mane, which reaches the eyes and forms a characteristic shaggy beard on the chin (coming to the throat). Most grow on the head and neck long hair, reaching half a meter: slightly shorter coat covering the hump, shoulders and partly the front legs. In general, the entire front part of the body (against the background of the back) is covered with longer hair Yu.

This is interesting! The extremely low set of the head, coupled with the tangled mane, gives the bison a special massiveness, although given its size this is unnecessary - adult males, at 2 m at the withers, grow to 3 m (from muzzle to tail), gaining about 1.2–1.3 tons of weight.

Due to the abundance of hair on the large broad-browed head, large dark eyes and narrow ears are hardly noticeable, but shortened thick horns are visible, diverging to the sides and turning their apices inward. The bison does not have a completely proportional body, since its front part is more developed than the back. The scruff ends in a hump, the legs are not high, but powerful. The tail is shorter than that of the European bison, and is decorated at the end with a thick brush of hair.

The coat is usually gray-brown or brown, but on the head, neck and front legs it darkens noticeably, reaching black-brown. Most animals are brown and light brown in color, but some bison show atypical colors.

Character and lifestyle

Since the American bison was exterminated before it was studied, it is difficult to judge its lifestyle. It is known, for example, that bison used to cooperate in huge communities, reaching up to 20 thousand animals. Modern bison live in small herds, not exceeding 20–30 animals. There is information that bulls and cows with calves create separate groups, as they say, based on gender.

There is also conflicting information about the herd hierarchy: some zoologists claim that the herd is controlled by the most experienced cow, others are sure that the group is protected by several old bulls. Bisons, especially young ones, are extremely curious: their attention is drawn to every new or unfamiliar object. Adults do their best to protect the young animals, who are prone to active games in the fresh air.

The bison has a developed sense of smell, which helps to sense an enemy at a distance of up to 2 km, and a body of water - at a distance of up to 8 km. Hearing and vision are not so sharp, but they perform their role well. One look at a bison is enough to appreciate its potential strength, which doubles when the animal is wounded or cornered.

In such a situation, the bison, which is not naturally evil, quickly becomes irritated, preferring an attack to flight. A sign of extreme excitement is a vertically raised tail and a sharp musky smell that can be felt from afar. Animals often use their voices - they muffle or grunt in different tones, especially when the herd is on the move.

How long do bison live?

IN wildlife and on North American ranches, bison live to an average of 20–25 years.

Sexual dimorphism

Even visually, females are significantly inferior to males in size, and, moreover, do not have an external reproductive organ, which all bulls are endowed with. A more significant difference can be seen in the anatomy and coat characteristics of the two subspecies of American bison, described as Bison bison bison (steppe bison) and Bison bison athabascae (wood bison).

Important! The second subspecies was discovered at the end of the last century. According to some zoologists, the wood bison is none other than a subspecies of the primitive bison (Bison priscus), which has survived to this day.

Details of the constitution and coat observed in the steppe bison:

• it is lighter and smaller (within the same age/sex) than the wood bison;
• on a large head there is a dense “cap” of hair between the horns, and the horns themselves rarely protrude above this “cap”;
• a well-defined cape made of wool, and the color is lighter than that of a forest bison;
• the top of the hump is above the front legs, the thick beard and pronounced mane on the throat are extended behind the chest.

Nuances of physique and coat noted in the wood bison:

• larger and heavier (within the same age and sex) than the steppe bison;
• the head is less powerful, there is a bang of strands hanging over the forehead and horns protruding above it;
• the fur cape is slightly pronounced, and the wool is darker than that of the steppe bison;
• the top of the hump is located up to the front legs, the beard is thin, and the mane on the throat is rudimentary.

Currently, wood bison are found only in the remote swampy spruce forests growing in the basins of the Buffalo, Peace and Birch rivers (which flow into Great Slave and Athabasca lakes).

Range, habitats

Several centuries ago, both subspecies of bison, whose total population reached 60 million animals, were found throughout almost all of North America. Now the range, due to the senseless extermination of the species (completed by 1891), has narrowed to several regions west and north of Missouri.

This is interesting! By that time, the number of forest bison had dropped to a critical level: only 300 animals that lived west of the Slave River (south of Great Slave Lake) survived.

It has been established that long ago, bison led a familiar nomadic life, heading south on the eve of cold weather and returning from there when it warmed up. Now long-distance migrations of bison are impossible, since the boundaries of the range are limited national parks which are surrounded by farmland. Bison choose different landscapes to live in, including open forests, open prairies (hilly and flat), as well as forests that are closed to one degree or another.

American bison diet

Bison graze in the morning and evening, sometimes feeding during the day and even at night. Steppe animals lean on grass, plucking up to 25 kg per day, and in winter they switch to grass mats. Forest animals, along with grass, diversify their diet with other vegetation:

• shoots;
• leaves;
• lichens;
• tree/shrub branches.

Important! Thanks to their thick fur, bison tolerate 30-degree frosts well, foraging for food in snow depths of up to 1 m. When going to feed, they look for areas with little snow, where they scatter the snow with their hooves, deepening the hole when rotating their heads and muzzles (as bison do).

Once a day, animals go to watering, changing this habit only in severe frosts, when the reservoirs are covered with ice and the bison have to eat snow.

Reproduction and offspring

The rut lasts from July to September, when bulls and cows are grouped into large herds with a clear hierarchy. When the breeding season comes to an end, the large herd again breaks up into scattered groups. Bison are polygamous, and dominant males are not satisfied with one female, but collect harems.

Sexual hunting in bulls is accompanied by a booming roar, heard in clear weather 5–8 km away. How more bulls, the more impressive their choir sounds. When arguing for females, the contenders do not limit themselves to mating serenades, but often engage in fierce fights, which periodically end with serious injuries or the death of one of the duelists.

This is interesting! Gestation takes about 9 months, after which the cow gives birth to one calf. If she does not have time to find a secluded corner, the newborn appears in the middle of the herd. In this case, all animals approach the calf, sniffing and licking it. The calf sucks fatty (up to 12%) mother's milk until almost a year old.

In zoological parks, bison get along not only with representatives of their own species, but also with bison. Good neighborly relations often end with loving mating and the appearance of small bison. The latter differ advantageously from hybrids with livestock, as they have high fertility.

Natural enemies

It is believed that bison have practically no such, if you do not take into account those who slaughter calves or very old individuals. True, the bison were threatened by the Indians, whose way of life and customs largely depended on these powerful animals. Native Americans hunted bison on horseback (sometimes in the snow), armed with a spear, bow or gun. If horses were not used for hunting, the bison were driven into abysses or pens.

The tongue and hump, saturated with fat, were especially valued, as well as dried and ground meat (pemmican), which the Indians stored for the winter. The skin of young bison became material for outerwear, thick hides were turned into rough rawhide and tanned leather, from which soles were cut.

The Indians tried to use all the parts and tissues of animals, obtaining:

• made of bison leather - saddles, tipi tents and belts;
• from tendons - threads, bowstrings and more;
• from bones - knives and dishes;
• from hooves - glue;
• from hair - ropes;
• from droppings - fuel.

Important! However, until 1830 man was not the main enemy of the bison. The population of the species was not affected by either Indian hunting or single shooting of bison by white colonists who had guns.