Species: American bison (Bison bison)
Sex: The Detroit Zoo is home to three bison: one bull and two cows.
Home: Prairies of North America.
Diet: Herbivore. Favorite foods include grasses, herbs, shrubs and twigs. Members of the bovid family, bison regurgitate their food, chewing it as cud to aid digestion.
Average life span in the wild: 12-20 years.
Height: Up to six feet at the shoulder.
Weight: Up to 2,200 pounds. Bison are the heaviest land mammals in North America.
Birth: A single calf is born after a gestation period of 270-280 days. The calf is fully mature in three years. Cows and bulls usually live in separate groups and only come together in herds during the summer mating season.
Now you know: Bison, which can run up to 40 mph, have sharp, curved horns that can grow to two feet. ìThe horns are basically used for protection,î said Bob Lessnau, curator of mammals at the Detroit Zoo. ìAdults will form circles to protect calves against wolf packs. The horns are also used for jousting between males during the rutting season. The dominant males will form harem herds and have their own females.î Jousting contests are rarely dangerous.
Winterized: The bison is well suited for cold weather. Its coat is dark brown with long shaggy fur on the shoulders, neck, and front legs, especially in the winter. The bison sheds most of its fur in the summer. Hair on the forehead is thick and curly, almost black, which continues down the chin, forming a beard.
Protection status: Vulnerable. Millions of bison (often mistakenly called buffaloes) once roamed the North American prairies, and were an important asset for Native American tribes. In the 19th century, white settlers nearly hunted the species into extinction. They killed the bison for food, sport, and to deprive Native Americans. The bison reportedly dwindled to a few hundred before it became a protected species.
Detroit Zoo information: 248-541-5717, www.detroitzoo.org.
-- Joe Ballor, Journal Register News