The bison is a large, brown mammal that lives in the plains and prairies of North America. Bison have thick fur, weigh between 800-2000 pounds, and have strong neck muscles and a two-layered skull for protection. They graze on grasses and other plants. Bison migrate seasonally for food and water. Females typically have one calf after a 9.5 month gestation period, and the calves stay with their mothers for 6 months. Bison were nearly extinct but now number over 20,000, with some populations protected in national parks and wildlife refuges.

1. By,
Leah Caragol

2. Description
The bison is a mammal. In the spring the bison form a light brown to a gray- brown coat.
Usually the bison’s eyes are red, and their tails usually have a short tuff. The only body
parts that help it survive are the two layers on the skull so when they fight their head is
protected and the muscles in its neck so it can keep the head up. Usually the weight of
the females are about 800-1,000 pounds. The males are around 1,800 pounds if not 2,000
pounds. The bison has skin in the back and fur in the front. The bison matches its
habitat by being brown. The brown matches its habitat by the dirt and trees.

3. Habitat
The bison lives in the plains, prairies, and river valleys but only back then. Today
many live on ranches, farms, and wildlife refuge. Over a thousand live in Yellowstone
National Park. The bison is the state animal for Oklahoma and Kansas, and the bison is
the state mammal for Wyoming. In the winter and fall the bison like to hike to the lower
prairies to find food and water. The bison usually migrate to hills and mountains in the
spring and summer. Bison migrate for food during the winter so they can find
food.(MYE-gray-shun)

4. Diet The bison eats mostly grasses, sage, berries, and lichen. The
bison gathers its food by eating grass. It usually eats in the morning
and in the afternoon. It uses its lips to grab food like grass.

5. Life cycle
The bison life span is around 18-22 years. Moms usually have one young but two is very rare.
Their gestation length is 9 in a half months. The parents care for their young by weaning them
at six months and being by the babies side for six months. The babies are usually around 40-
50 pounds when they are born. The babies skin color is red/yellow like a calf from a cow. At
two months the calves start to grow a horn, hump, and dark hair. The bulls live separately but
they all come together for mating season. They always graze in the early morning and late
evening and sleep the rest of the day. The only time they shed their coat is in the spring by
rubbing against a rock or tree.

6. Interesting facts
While mating the bulls roar. Only at the age of two the females can start mating and the
males start mating at 6-7. Only when fighting occurs, the one bison that is not so strong
turns its head sideways because the side is stronger than the front. Every time before a
fight they roll in the dirt. There use to be 50,000,000 bison; then, they all died. mating
season starts in July and can go to September. Order: artiodactyls Phylum: chordate
class: mammilla family: boride genus: bison.

7. Bibliography
Here are my book sources:
Potts, Steve. The American Bison. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 1997.
National Geographic Book of Mammals. Washington, DC: National Geographic, 1999.
These are my internet sources for my Bison Power point:
 3. The Bison of Yellow Stone
http://wwhttpw.cvgs.k12.va.us/bison/BRUCELLA/BACKLTT/index.htm
 4. Defenders of Wildlife
http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/bison.php