bison

This shaggy, powerful wild bovine, often called a buffalo, is an icon of the American West. These massive animals once roamed the Great Plains in enormous herds, sustaining many Native American communities with food, hide, and materials for tools and clothing. In the late 1800s they were pushed to the brink by intense hunting, but many herds have since recovered and can still be seen in places like Yellowstone and the Badlands. While the animal is still commonly called """buffalo""" in North America, true buffalo are mainly African and Asian species.

Think of this animal as a wild, muscular cousin of cattle""”larger, wilder, and deeply tied to the history of the Plains.

The bison (Bison bison) is a large North American bovine with a heavy frame, shaggy coat, and distinctive shoulder hump. Historically, millions roamed the grasslands from Canada to Mexico, and many Indigenous nations relied on them for food, hide, clothing, tools, and spiritual meaning.

The crash in the late 19th century is one of the great tragedies in American wildlife history, driven by unregulated hunting and deliberate campaigns against Indigenous livelihoods. Conservation, ranching, and federal protection helped restore many herds, and today they are found in national parks, wildlife refuges, and managed ranch herds.

The term """buffalo""" is used interchangeably in everyday speech, but it is not taxonomically precise. True buffalo generally refer to African and Asian species in the genera Syncerus and Bubalus, while bison are in the Bison genus.

Beyond their ecological and historical importance, these animals stand for resilience, strength, and a lasting connection to the wild heart of North America. When you picture open prairie skies, a heavy-set, shaggy giant is often part of the scene.