114-764: The Wind Cave bison herd is a herd of 250–400 American bison in Wind Cave National Park , South Dakota , United States. As an active participant in the conservation of American bison , it is believed to be one of only seven free-roaming and genetically pure herds on public lands in North America. The other six herds are in Yellowstone Park , Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota), Henry Mountains (Central Utah), Blue Mounds State Park (Minnesota), Minneopa State Park (Minnesota), and Elk Island National Park (Alberta, Canada). The Wind Cave herd are of
228-590: A Yellowstone bison trap were made into quarantine corrals with two layers of fencing in 2017. The two facilities are located at Stephens Creek and Corwin Springs . Quarantine facilities are managed by APHIS who coordinates the transfers with the state of Montana and the Fort Peck tribes. The final phase of assurance testing can be performed at the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in northeastern Montana. During
342-519: A code of ethics which prohibits its members from deliberately crossbreeding bison with any other species. Population estimates in 2010 ranged from 400,000 to 500,000, with approximately 20,500 animals in 62 conservation herds and the remainder in approximately 6,400 commercial herds. According to the IUCN , roughly 15,000 bison are considered wild, free-range bison not primarily confined by fencing. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has reintroduced bison to over
456-540: A dozen nature preserves around the United States. In October 2016, TNC established its easternmost bison herd in the country, at Kankakee Sands nature preserve in Morocco , Newton County, Indiana . In 2014, U.S. Tribes and Canadian First Nations signed a treaty to help with the restoration of bison, the first to be signed in nearly 150 years. American bison live in river valleys, and on prairies and plains. Typical habitat
570-475: A few older males. During the breeding season, dominant bulls maintain a small harem of females for mating. Individual bulls "tend" cows until allowed to mate, by following them around and chasing away rival males. The tending bull shields the female's vision with his body so she will not see any other challenging males. A challenging bull may bellow or roar to get a female's attention, and the tending bull has to bellow or roar back. The most dominant bulls mate in
684-625: A herd started with founder animals from Yellowstone, the Henry Mountains bison herd , is found on the plains around the Henry Mountains, Utah, as well as in mountain valleys of the Henry Mountains to an altitude of 10,000 feet (3,000 m). Gray wolves , and grizzly bears are apex predators of bison, but bison meat is not a major component of their diet. Competitive pressure from the other large grazing mammals in Yellowstone may also help limit
798-580: A multi-year process including holding animals in fenced pastures near the park boundary. The quarantine program approved by IBMP has three phases. First, bison are trapped at the Stephens Creek Bison Capture Facility where they are sorted by age and sex into different enclosed pens. A blood sample is also taken and they are tested for brucellosis with only about 30% of animals qualifying for the program. Bison that test negative can go into quarantine. Next, testing protocols continue until
912-431: A new location to graze again. Sexually mature young bulls may try to start mating with cows by the age of two or three years, but if more mature bulls are present, they may not be able to compete until they reach five years of age. For the first two months of life, calves are lighter in color than mature bison. One extremely rare condition is the white buffalo , in which the calf turns entirely white. Bison are members of
1026-511: A number of physical and behavioral differences. Adult American bison are slightly heavier on average because of their less rangy build and have shorter legs, which render them slightly shorter at the shoulder. American bison tend to graze more and browse less than their European relatives because their necks are set differently. Compared to the nose of the American bison, that of the European species
1140-539: A practice of pleistocene rewilding ; wood bison are the most similar to the extinct steppe bison species ( Bison priscus ). The bison are adapting well to the cold climate, and Yakutia's Red List officially registered the species in 2019; a second herd was formed in 2020. In Pleistocene Park , there are also 24 plains bison as wood bison could not be acquired. Bison are migratory and herd migrations can be directional as well as altitudinal in some areas. Bison have usual daily movements between foraging sites during
1254-417: A predation episode varies, ranging from a few minutes to over nine hours. Bison display five apparent defense strategies in protecting calves from wolves: running to a cow; running to a herd; running to the nearest bull; running in the front or center of a stampeding herd; entering water bodies, such as lakes or rivers. When fleeing wolves in open areas, cows with young calves take the lead, while bulls take to
SECTION 10
#17328763131031368-734: A result cattle genes are found throughout most bison populations. In recent decades tests were developed to determine the source of mitochondrial DNA in cattle and bison, and it was found that most private 'buffalo' herds were actually crossbred with cattle, and even most state and federal buffalo herds had some cattle DNA. With the advent of nuclear microsatellite DNA testing, the number of herds that are known to contain cattle genes has increased. Though approximately 500,000 bison exist on private ranches and in public herds, perhaps only 15,000 to 25,000 of these bison are pure and are not actually bison-cattle hybrids. Significant public bison herds that do not appear to have hybridized domestic cattle genes are
1482-568: A single generic word covering both sexes. Thus: Such a distinction is not a general feature of the language (for example, Arapaho possesses gender-neutral terms for other large mammals such as elk, mule deer, etc.), and so presumably is due to the special significance of the bison in Plains Indian life and culture. A bison has a shaggy, long, dark-brown winter coat, and a lighter-weight, lighter-brown summer coat. Male bison are significantly larger and heavier than females. Plains bison are often in
1596-637: A threat to calves and sometimes old, injured, or sick adult bison, direct killing of non-calves is rare even when targeting lone and injured young individuals; attacking healthy bison is risky for bears, who can be killed instead. Bison are among the most dangerous animals encountered by visitors to the various North American national parks and will attack humans if provoked. They appear slow because of their lethargic movements but can easily outrun humans; bison have been observed running as fast as 65 to 70 km/h (40 to 45 mph). Bison may approach people for curiosity. Close encounters, including to touch
1710-492: Is a major conservation advancement. The lack of tolerance for wild bison in most areas outside Yellowstone continues to limit restoration. Large parts of their historic winter ranges are no longer available due to human development and states only allow limited numbers of bison in areas near the park. Initially most of the bison were sent to slaughter with the meat being distributed to participating tribes along with limited hunting. The IBMP plan includes allowing bison to enter
1824-451: Is classified by the United States government as a type of cattle, and the government allows private herds to be managed as such. This is a reflection of the characteristics that bison share with cattle. Though the American bison is a separate species and usually regarded as being in a separate genus from domestic cattle ( Bos taurus ), they have a lot of genetic compatibility with cattle. American bison can interbreed with cattle, although only
1938-401: Is completely unreliable as a means of determining what is a purebred bison and what is a crossbred cow. Many ranchers have deliberately crossbred their cattle with bison, and some natural hybridization could be expected in areas where cattle and bison occur in the same range. Since cattle and bison eat similar food and tolerate similar conditions, they have often been in the same range together in
2052-469: Is known to exist in the elk and bison of the Yellowstone ecosystem. State and federal officials were pressured to prevent the spread of the disease as ranchers worry it could lead to Montana losing its brucellosis-free status. Montana state law does not allow the transport of wild bison exposed to brucellosis except to meat processing and research facilities within the state. By 2016, state and federal officials were rounding up most bison that wandered outside
2166-503: Is less reason to confine them to the park and less reason to hunt them. Therefore, it should be easier to allow them to increase their population and their range, if other, nearby land areas become available for bison. 43°34′39″N 103°28′30″W / 43.5776°N 103.475°W / 43.5776; -103.475 American bison B. b. athabascae (wood bison) B. b. bison (plains bison) The American bison ( Bison bison ; pl. : bison ), commonly known as
2280-755: Is not known if the Book Cliffs extension of the herd is also free of cattle hybridization. A separate study by Wilson and Strobeck, published in Genome , was done to define the relationships between different herds of bison in the United States and Canada, and to determine whether the bison at Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada and the Yellowstone Park bison herd were possibly separate subspecies. The Wood Buffalo Park bison were determined to actually be crossbreeds between plains and wood bison, but their predominant genetic makeup
2394-551: Is one of the few bison herds in the nation that does not seem to contain hybridized genes from domestic cattle. Unfortunately, the bison herd at Custer State Park , only a few miles away, does include herd members that have hybridized cattle genes. Bison from Custer State Park have been found wandering within Wind Cave National Park. No evidence of cross breeding with these bison has yet been found, but many biologists feel that extra care should be taken with these animals in
SECTION 20
#17328763131032508-431: Is open or semi-open grasslands, as well as sagebrush grasslands, semi-arid lands, and scrublands. Some lightly wooded areas are also known historically to have supported bison. Bison will also graze in hilly or mountainous areas where the slopes are not steep. Though bison are not particularly known as high altitude animals, members of the Yellowstone bison herd are frequently found at elevations above 8,000 feet (2,400 m) and
2622-417: Is open or semiopen grasslands, as well as sagebrush, semiarid lands, and scrublands. Some lightly wooded areas are also known historically to have supported bison. Bison also graze in hilly or mountainous areas where the slopes are not steep. Though not particularly known as high-altitude animals, bison in the Yellowstone Park bison herd are frequently found at elevations above 2,400 m (8,000 ft), and
2736-421: Is part of a much larger area of extended grassland prairie. Other large mammals found in the area include elk , coyotes , deer , and pronghorn . The Wind Cave bison herd has minimal cattle introgression . Most private and public bison herds in the United States do. Genetic testing shows that there now appear to be some cattle genes present in approximately 95% of the bison surveyed in other areas. Though
2850-462: Is set farther forward than the forehead when the neck is in a neutral position. The body of the American bison is hairier, though its tail has less hair than that of the European bison. The horns of the European bison point forward through the plane of its face, making it more adept at fighting through the interlocking of horns in the same manner as domestic cattle, unlike the American bison, which favors charging. American bison are more easily tamed than
2964-567: Is suggested to be the result of either incomplete lineage sorting or ancient introgression . Bison first appeared in Asia during the Early Pleistocene , around 2.6 million years ago. Bison only arrived in North America 195,000 to 135,000 years ago, during the late Middle Pleistocene , descending from the widespread Siberian steppe bison ( Bison priscus ), which had migrated through Beringia . Following their first appearance in North America,
3078-507: Is the national mammal of the United States . In American English, both buffalo and bison are considered correct terms for the American bison. However, in British English, the word buffalo is reserved for the African buffalo and water buffalo and not used for the bison. In English usage, the term buffalo was used to refer to the American mammal as early as 1625. The word bison
3192-558: The American buffalo , or simply buffalo (not to be confused with true buffalo ), is a species of bison that is endemic (or native) to North America . It is one of two extant species of bison, along with the European bison . Its historical range circa 9000 BC is referred to as the great bison belt , a tract of rich grassland spanning from Alaska south to the Gulf of Mexico , and east to
3306-637: The Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes who started a conservation herd at their Fort Peck Reservation. A legal challenge blocked further transfers until the state supreme court ruled in June 2013 that the Montana law in question did not apply to tribal lands. The state was asked to move the bison by November 2014 that been regularly tested for brucellosis while being quarantined on behalf of the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks at
3420-637: The Atlantic Seaboard (nearly to the Atlantic tidewater in some areas), as far north as New York , south to Georgia , and according to some sources, further south to northern Florida , with sightings in North Carolina near Buffalo Ford on the Catawba River as late as 1750. Two subspecies or ecotypes have been described: the plains bison ( B. b. bison ), smaller and with a more rounded hump; and
3534-773: The Cumberland Gap through the Blue Ridge Mountains to upper Kentucky . A heavily used trace crossed the Ohio River at the Falls of the Ohio and ran west, crossing the Wabash River near Vincennes, Indiana . In Senator Thomas Hart Benton 's phrase saluting these sagacious path-makers, the bison paved the way for the railroads to the Pacific. The southern extent of the historic range of
Wind Cave bison herd - Misplaced Pages Continue
3648-739: The Henry Mountains bison herd is found on the plains around the Henry Mountains , Utah, as well as in mountain valleys of the Henry Mountains to an altitude of 3,000 m (10,000 ft). Reintroduced plains bison in Banff National Park have been observed to roam mountainous areas, including high ridges and steep drainages, and archaeological finds indicate that some bison historically may have spent their lives within mountains while others may have migrated in and out of mountains. Those in Yukon, Canada, typically summer in alpine plateaus above treeline. The first thoroughfares of North America, except for
3762-672: The Janos Biosphere Reserve in northern Chihuahua adding to the Mexican bison population. In 2020, the second herd was formed in Maderas del Carmen . A private reserve named Jagüey de Ferniza has kept bisons since before the above-mentioned reintroductions in Coahuila. Since 2006, an outherd of wood bison sent from Alberta's Elk Island National Park was established in Yakutia , Russia as
3876-540: The Lincoln Park Zoo bison herd for Yellowstone. In 1902, a captive herd of 21 Goodnight plains bison was introduced to the park and then moved to the Lamar Valley and managed as livestock until the 1960s, when a policy of natural regulation was adopted by the park. Only a few bull bison traversed outside Yellowstone National Park prior to 1975, but as bison numbers increased, groups of bison began migrating across
3990-517: The New York Zoological Society and with six animals from the Yellowstone Park bison herd . In addition, in the 1960s, a bull bison was received from Theodore Roosevelt National Park . The Yellowstone Park bison herd was the last free-ranging bison herd in the United States and the only place where they did not go locally extinct, so they have become part of the foundation stock for many other herds. The Wind Cave population has served as
4104-449: The Plains bison subspecies ( Bison bison bison ). The American bison ( Bison bison ) once numbered in the millions, perhaps between 25 million and 60 million by some estimates, and they were possibly the most numerous large land animal on earth. However, they were hunted to near extinction throughout North America by the late 1880s. The Wind Cave bison herd was started with 14 bison from
4218-835: The Wind Cave bison herd , the Elk Island Nation Park bison herd , and the Wood Buffalo National Park bison herd and subsidiary herds descended from it, in Canada . A landmark study of bison genetics that was performed by James Derr of the Texas A&;M University corroborated this. The Derr study was undertaken in an attempt to determine what genetic problems bison might face as they repopulate former areas, and it noted that bison were faring well, despite their apparent genetic bottleneck . One possible explanation for this might be
4332-589: The Yellowstone Park bison herd , the Henry Mountains bison herd , which was started with bison taken from Yellowstone Park, the Wind Cave bison herd, and the Wood Buffalo National Park bison herd in Canada and herds derived from it. A landmark study of bison genetics was undertaken by James Derr of Texas A&M University in an attempt to determine what genetic problems bison might face as they repopulate former areas. It concluded that bison seem to be doing quite well, despite their apparent genetic bottleneck . All of
4446-422: The wood bison ( B. b. athabascae ), the larger of the two and having a taller, square hump. Furthermore, the plains bison has been suggested to consist of a northern plains ( B. b. montanae ) and a southern plains ( B. b. bison ) subspecies, bringing the total to three. However, this is generally not supported. The wood bison is one of the largest wild species of extant bovid in the world, surpassed only by
4560-498: The "American Buffalo" is classified by the United States Government as a type of cattle, and the government allows private herds to be managed as such. This is a reflection of the characteristics that bison share with cattle. Though the American bison ( Bison bison ) is not only a separate species, but actually in a separate genus from domestic cattle ( Bos primigenius ), it clearly has a lot of genetic compatibility with
4674-585: The 1870s, which caused the plains bison population to undergo a population bottleneck . The bottleneck resulted in a founding population of around 100 individuals, split into six herds, five of which were managed by private ranchers and one managed by the New York Zoological Park (now the Bronx Zoo ). Additionally, a wild herd consisting of 25 individuals in Yellowstone National Park survived
Wind Cave bison herd - Misplaced Pages Continue
4788-438: The 2020 Bison Conservation Initiative on May 7, 2020. This initiative focuses on maintaining the genetic diversity of the metapopulation rather than individual herds. Small populations of bison are at considerably larger risk due to their decreased gene pool and are susceptible to catastrophic events more so than larger herds. The 2020 Bison Conservation Initiative aims to translocate up to three bison every five to ten years between
4902-588: The American bison (Species: Bison bison ) is not only a separate species , but a member of a separate genus from domestic cattle ( Bos primigenius ), they are genetically compatible and American bison can interbreed freely with cattle. Crossbreeds tend to look very much like purebred bison, so appearance is unreliable as a means of determining what is a purebred bison and what is a crossbred cow. Many ranchers deliberately crossbred their bison with cattle, and it would also be expected that there could be some natural hybridization in areas where cattle and bison occur in
5016-478: The American bison includes northern Mexico and adjoining areas in the United States as documented by archeological records and historical accounts from Mexican archives from 700 CE to the 19th century. The Janos-Hidalgo bison herd has ranged between Chihuahua, Mexico, and New Mexico, United States, since at least the 1920s. The persistence of this herd suggests that habitat for bison is suitable in northern Mexico. In 2009, genetically pure bison were reintroduced to
5130-519: The American mammal. It has a much longer history than the term bison, which was first recorded in 1774. The Bison is considered to be scientifically correct, as a result of standard usage the name "buffalo" is listed in many dictionaries as an acceptable name for American Buffalo or bison. Yellowstone National Park has large areas of alpine meadows and grass prairie and this provides a nearly optimum environment for American bison who live in river valleys, and on prairies and plains. Their typical habitat
5244-465: The Asian gaur . Among extant land animals in North America, the bison is the heaviest and the longest, and the second tallest after the moose . Once roaming in vast herds , the species nearly became extinct by a combination of commercial hunting and slaughter in the 19th century and introduction of bovine diseases from domestic cattle. With an estimated population of 60 million in the late 18th century,
5358-498: The Bison Conservation Transfer Program as space allows. While hunting is not allowed within the park, it mainly occurs within an area outside the northern boundary near Gardiner as designated by the state. Removal numbers are decided each year, with tribal and state hunters being allowed a quota. Montana issues hunting permits and 4 tribes have long standing treaty rights to hunt Yellowstone bison. By 2016,
5472-649: The Bozeman-area ranch owned by Ted Turner. In October, the commission decided to move the animals to the Fort Peck Reservation as the commission recognized that the Fort Peck Fish and Game Department had done a good job of managing the bison including the disease testing. In November, 139 of the Yellowstone bison at the Flying D ranch joined the conservation herd at the Fort Peck Reservation. Certification involves
5586-534: The Department of the Interior's herds. Specific smaller herds will require a more intense management plan. Translocated bison will also be screened for any health defects such as infection of brucellosis bacteria as to not put the larger herd at risk. Bison went from numbering an estimated 60 million individuals before the 1870s to becoming nearly extinct in the 1880s. This was due to the mass slaughtering of bison during
5700-605: The European and breed more readily with domestic cattle. During the population bottleneck, after the great slaughter of American bison during the 19th century, the number of bison remaining alive in North America declined to as low as 541. During that period, a handful of ranchers gathered remnants of the existing herds to save the species from extinction. These ranchers bred some of the bison with cattle in an effort to produce "cattalo" or " beefalo ". Accidental crossings were also known to occur. Generally, male domestic bulls were crossed with bison cows, producing offspring of which only
5814-521: The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission to care for the bison and their offspring for five years on a 12,000-acre fenced section (4,900 ha) of the Flying D ranch. Tribal and state officials signed an agreement in 2012 allowing the transfer of bison that were also in the 2005-2012 pilot study. Sixty-three animals from the Yellowstone quarantine corrals were transferred in March to
SECTION 50
#17328763131035928-694: The Yellowstone Park bison herd, the Henry Mountains bison herd, which was started with bison taken from Yellowstone Park, the Wind Cave bison herd, and the Wood Buffalo National Park bison herd and subsidiary herds started from it, in Canada. A landmark study of bison genetics performed by James Derr of Texas A&M University corroborated this. The Derr study was undertaken in an attempt to determine what genetic problems bison might face as they repopulate former areas, and it noted that bison seem to be adapting successfully, despite their apparent genetic bottleneck. One possible explanation for this might be
6042-515: The Yellowstone bison were actually either of the B. b. athabascae ( wood buffalo ) subspecies, or else that they were of an unspecified 'mountain' subspecies. In the study, it was determined that the Wood Buffalo bison were actually cross breeds between plains bison and wood bison, but that their predominant genetic makeup was in fact that of the expected "wood buffalo" ( B. b. athabascae ). Circa winter 1924, Yellowstone hosted about 2,000 bison and
6156-425: The advent of nuclear microsatellite DNA testing, the number of herds that identified to contain cattle genes has increased. DNA from domestic cattle ( Bos taurus ) has been detected in nearly all bison herds examined to date. Significant public bison herds that have minimal cattle gene introgression are the Yellowstone bison herd, the Henry Mountains bison herd (which was started with bison taken from Yellowstone),
6270-442: The animals can be certified as disease free. Finally, assurance testing involves another year in isolation with two more tests before the quarantine period is finished. The first two phases currently must be done in a supervised area in the vicinity of the park. APHIS and the Montana Department of Livestock established the final structural specifications and biosecurity requirements for quarantine facilities in June 2017. Two pens in
6384-480: The animals, can be dangerous, and gunshots do not startle them. Between 1980 and 1999, more than three times as many people in Yellowstone National Park were injured by bison than by bears. During this period, bison charged and injured 79 people, with injuries ranging from goring puncture wounds and broken bones to bruises and abrasions. Bears injured 24 people during the same time. Three people died from
6498-564: The bison at Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada and the Yellowstone Park bison herd were possibly separate subspecies, and not plains bison. Some people had suggested that the Yellowstone Park bison were actually either of the 'athabascae' (wood buffalo) subspecies, or else that they were of an unspecified 'mountain' subspecies. In the study, it was determined that the Wood Buffalo Park bison were actually cross breeds between plains bison and wood bison, but that their predominant genetic makeup
6612-490: The bison be declared endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act with a separate population limit for each of the two herds. They claim hunting, trapping, hazing, capture and slaughter of the bison disproportionately impacted the central interior herd, reducing the size of the herd dramatically during the last two decades. The Fish and Wildlife Service rejected the listing in 2015 and 2019, arguing that
6726-400: The bison rapidly differentiated into new species , such as the largest of all bison, the long-horned Bison latifrons , along with Bison antiquus . The first appearance of bison in North America is considered to define the regional Rancholabrean faunal stage, due to its major impact on the ecology of the continent. Modern American bison are thought to have evolved from B. antiquus at
6840-604: The bottleneck. Yellowstone Park bison herd The Yellowstone bison herd roams the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem . The bison herd is probably the oldest and largest public bison herd in the United States, estimated in 2020 to comprise 4,800 bison. The bison are American bison of the Plains bison subspecies. Yellowstone National Park may be the only location in the United States where free-ranging bison were never extirpated , since they continued to exist in
6954-524: The case of males, it is unlikely to be related to dominance , but rather to social bonding or gaining sexual experience. Bison mate in late spring and summer in more open plain areas. During fall and winter, bison tend to gather in more wooded areas. During this time, bison partake in horning behaviors. They rub their horns against trees, young saplings, and even utility poles. Aromatic trees like cedars and pine seem to be preferred. Horning appears to be associated with insect defense, as it occurs most often in
SECTION 60
#17328763131037068-487: The decades since the IBMP was created, the bison population has ranged between 2,400 and 5,500 animals. There have been no cases of bison transmitting brucellosis directly to cattle, in part due to efforts by federal and state agencies to maintain separation between these animals. The state of Montana now allows bison to occupy some habitat adjacent to the park that was previously off-limits, including year-round in some areas, which
7182-476: The disease stayed that way and could be certified as brucellosis-free. The initial plan was for the bison that completed the pilot program to be moved to public or tribal lands but the state was not ready to approve any of the proposed locations in 2010. After Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer invited Ted Turner to submit an offer to care for the animals, Turner Enterprises Inc. reached an agreement in February with
7296-630: The end of the Late Pleistocene - beginning of the Holocene , with likely intermediates between the species referred to as Bison "occidentalis" . The North American bison population experienced demographic stability during the Middle Holocene but began a slow decline in the Late Holocene beginning about 2,700 BP. Although they are superficially similar, the American and European bison exhibit
7410-596: The end of their first year. At three years of age, bison cows are mature enough to produce a calf. The birthing period for bison in boreal biomes is protracted compared to that of other northern ungulates, such as moose and caribou. Bison have a life expectancy around 15 years in the wild and up to 25 years in captivity. However, males and females from a hunted population also subject to wolf predation in northern Canada have been reported to live to 22 and 25 years of age, respectively. Bison have been observed to display homosexual behaviors , males much more so than females. In
7524-452: The extension involved mixing the founders with additional bison from another source. A separate study by Wilson and Strobeck, published in Genome , was done to define the relationships between different herds of bison in the United States and Canada, and to determine whether the bison at Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada and the Yellowstone bison herd were possibly separate subspecies, and not Plains bison. Some people had suggested that
7638-1223: The fall when the insect population is at its highest. Cedar and pines emit an aroma after bison horn them and this seems to be used as a deterrent for insects. A bison wallow is a shallow depression in the soil, which bison use either wet or dry. Bison roll in these depressions, covering themselves with dust or mud. Past and current hypotheses to explain the purpose of wallowing include grooming associated with shedding, male-male interaction (typically rutting ), social behavior for group cohesion, play, relief from skin irritation due to biting insects, reduction of ectoparasite ( tick and lice ) load, and thermoregulation . Bison wallowing has important ecosystem engineering effects and enhances plant and animal diversity on prairies. While often secure from predation because of their size and strength, in some areas, vulnerable individuals are regularly preyed upon by wolves . Wolf predation typically peaks in late winter, when elk migrates south and bison are distressed with heavy snows and shortages of food sources, with attacks usually being concentrated on weakened and injured cows and calves. Wolves more actively target herds with calves than those without. The length of
7752-472: The female offspring are fertile in the first generation. These female hybrids can be bred back to either bison or domestic bulls, resulting in either 1/4 or 3/4 bison young. Female offspring from this cross are also fertile, but males are not reliably fertile unless they are either 7 ⁄ 8 bison or 7 ⁄ 8 domestic. Moreover, when they do interbreed, crossbreed animals in the first generation tend to look very much like purebred bison, so appearance
7866-509: The females were fertile. The crossbred animals did not demonstrate any form of hybrid vigor , so the practice was abandoned. The proportion of cattle DNA that has been measured in introgressed individuals and bison herds today is typically quite low, ranging from 0.56 to 1.8%. In the United States , many ranchers are now using DNA testing to cull the residual cattle genetics from their bison herds. The U.S. National Bison Association has adopted
7980-500: The first 2–3 weeks of the season. More subordinate bulls mate with any remaining estrous cow that has not mated yet. Male bison play no part in raising the young. Bison herds have dominance hierarchies that exist for both males and females. A bison's dominance is related to its birth date. Bison born earlier in the breeding season are more likely to be larger and more dominant as adults. Thus, bison are able to pass on their dominance to their offspring as dominant bison breed earlier in
8094-653: The first plan in 2000. Since 2009, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes , the Inter Tribal Buffalo Council, and the Nez Perce Tribe have participated in the planning. The plan is aimed at: Management is focused on keeping the Yellowstone Bison population at levels that limit migration outside the park. Methods include slaughter and export of excess bison to other suitable habitats. In
8208-404: The former was limited after the rediscovery of a relatively pure herd. Elk Island National Park, which has wild populations of both wood and plains bison, has recorded maximum weights for bull bison of 1186 kg (plains) and 1099 kg (wood), but noted that 3/4 of all bison over 1000 kg were wood bison. When raised in captivity and farmed for meat, the bison can grow unnaturally heavy and
8322-479: The foundation animals for many other bison herds throughout the United States, such as the Henry Mountains bison herd and (partially) the Wind Cave bison herd , and several groups in the United States and Canada are making efforts to return bison to nature parks or reserves in parts of their previous natural range. Some large tracts of open range and natural habitat have been purchased by private individuals or groups to prepare for bison reintroduction. Officially,
8436-867: The foundation stock for the Tallgrass Prairie bison herd in Kansas. The National Park Service is working with The Nature Conservancy to establish additional satellite herds with the goal of having a total population of at least 1,000 breeding bison of Wind Cave lineage. Wind Cave National Park has large areas of grassland prairie and this provides a nearly optimum environment for American bison. Bison are large herd animals that defend their young vigorously. American bison can run up to 35 miles (56 km) per hour and are surprisingly agile, in addition to their notable strength. They have an irritable temperament. There are limited numbers of potential apex predators of these bison. Wind Cave National Park by itself, at 33,847 acres,
8550-444: The future. Unlike the Yellowstone Park bison herd, the Wind Cave bison herd is currently brucellosis -free. Though brucellosis doesn't seem to cause significant problems for bison populations, it is used as a reason for keeping bison inside the Yellowstone National Park and one of the reasons the state of Montana allows hunting of the Yellowstone Bison if they leave the park. Since the Wind Cave herd does not have brucellosis, there
8664-404: The healthy condition of the Wind Cave bison, they should have a significant role to play in the re-establishment of bison populations. Private groups, as well as governmental entities in the United States and Canada, are making efforts to return Bison to much of their previous natural range. A special risk to the Wind Cave bison herd is the potential for the loss of their genetic purity. The herd
8778-459: The herds are not genetically distinct. A judge ruled that the agency applied the wrong standard and failed to address a significant aspect of the question. American Bison once numbered in the millions, perhaps between 25 million and 60 million by some estimates, and they were possibly the most numerous large land animal on earth. However, by the late 1880s, they had been hunted to near extinction throughout North America . The Yellowstone bison herd
8892-415: The injuries inflicted—one person by bison in 1983, and two people by bears in 1984 and 1986. A major problem that bison face today is a lack of genetic diversity due to the population bottleneck the species experienced during its near-extinction event. Another genetic issue is the entry of genes from domestic cattle into the bison population, through hybridization. Officially, the "American buffalo"
9006-586: The largest semidomestic bison weighed 1,724 kg (3,801 lb). The heads and forequarters are massive, and both sexes have short, curved horns that can grow up to 60 cm (2 ft) long with 90 cm (3 ft) to 124 cm (4 ft) width, which they use in fighting for status within the herd and for defense. Bison are herbivores , grazing on the grasses and sedges of the North American prairies . Their daily schedule involves two-hour periods of grazing, resting, and cud chewing, then moving to
9120-470: The latter, and American bison can interbreed freely with cattle. Moreover, when they do interbreed, the crossbreeds tend to look very much like purebred bison, so appearance is completely unreliable as a means of determining what is a purebred bison and what is crossbred with cattle. Many ranchers have deliberately crossbred their cattle with bison, and it would also be expected that there could be some natural hybridization in areas where cattle and bison occur in
9234-410: The lowest weights probably representing typical weight around the age of sexual maturity at 2 to 3 years of age. The heaviest wild bull for B.b.bison ever recorded weighed 1,270 kg (2,800 lb) while there had been bulls estimated to be 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). B.b.athabascae is significantly larger and heavier on average than B.b.bison while the number of recorded samples for
9348-700: The north and west boundaries of Yellowstone to expand their winter range and pioneer new territory in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem . Over the years, the National Park Service and states bordering the park have implemented various plans to limit exposure of bison to cattle herds outside the park in the Greater Yellowstone area . Efforts have including hunting, hazing Bison back into the park, vaccinations and exporting excess Bison to other locations. Park and state wildlife officials went to great lengths to prevent bison from mixing with cattle. Brucellosis
9462-635: The north entrance near Gardiner, Montana through the Blacktail Plateau and into the Lamar Valley . The central interior herd, which numbers approximately 1400 individuals, ranges from the Madison River valley into the Hayden Valley and Upper and Lower Geyser Basins . The Buffalo Field Campaign and Western Watersheds Project filed a petition in 2014 that contends that these herds are two separate groups and are genetically distinct. They asked that
9576-402: The number of bison in the herd, but this is not considered to have had a significant effect on bison numbers. Disease, including various viruses, parasites and brucellosis , has a greater effect on bison population. The Yellowstone bison herd is divided into two sub-herds that are somewhat isolated from each other. The northern range herd which numbers approximately 2,300 individuals ranges from
9690-498: The park boundaries. Intense controversy grew between environmentalists, livestock interests and agency managers. During harsh winters, bison found convenient grazing on several U.S. Forest Service allotments that were used for cattle in the summer. In 1995, the Montana state legislature designated Yellowstone bison as a species in need of disease management and the state sued the National Park Service for allowing bison to leave
9804-405: The park every winter with up to 900 being removed annually. Some were captured and shipped to slaughter while others were shot by hunters or state agents. Montana managed a state-licensed hunt for bison that left the park from 1985 to 1991 but the number of bison migrating outside of the park continued to increase, prompting the National Park Service to develop management plans to control bison near
9918-644: The park. After five years of litigation and mediation, the state of Montana and the federal government developed the Interagency Bison Management Plan (IBMP) to guide the management of bison in and around Yellowstone. The Interagency Bison Management Plan is a cooperative, multi-agency effort that guides the management of bison and brucellosis in and around Yellowstone National Park. The National Park Service, USDA-Forest Service, USDA-Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service, Montana Department of Livestock and Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks adopted
10032-810: The past, and opportunity for crossbreeding may sometimes have been common. In recent decades, tests were developed to determine the source of mitochondrial DNA in cattle and bison, and most private "buffalo" herds were actually crossbred with cattle, and even most state and federal buffalo herds had some cattle DNA. With the advent of nuclear microsatellite DNA testing, the number of herds known to contain cattle genes has increased. As of 2011, though about 500,000 bison existed on private ranches and in public herds, perhaps only 15,000 to 25,000 of these bison were pure and not actually bison-cattle hybrids. DNA from domestic cattle ( Bos taurus ) has been found in almost all examined bison herds. Significant public bison herds that do not appear to have hybridized domestic cattle genes are
10146-452: The population had grown to approximately 5,500 animals. In the winters of 2016/2017 and 2019/2020 the park service reduced the herd size by at least 900 animals. A 2022/2023 hunt culled over 1,100 individuals, leading to criticism over the necessity of such a hunt. Yellowstone bison are exceptional because they comprise the nation's largest bison population on public land. Developing a quarantine program that complied with Montana state law
10260-451: The population was primarily found in a few national parks and reserves. Through multiple reintroductions , the species now freely roams wild in several regions in the United States , Canada and Mexico . The American bison has also been introduced to Yakutia in Russia . Spanning back millennia , Native American tribes have had cultural and spiritual connections to the American bison. It
10374-424: The rear of the herds to guard the cows' escape. Bison typically ignore wolves not displaying hunting behavior. Wolf packs specializing in bison tend to have more males because their larger size than females allows them to wrestle prey to the ground more effectively. Healthy, mature bulls in herds rarely fall prey. Grizzly bears are known to feed on carcass and may steal wolves' kills. While grizzlies can also pose
10488-511: The revision of the Bison Management at Yellowstone National Park by the National Park Service, it was expected that the use of the bison conservation transfer program to restore bison to Tribal lands would be expand. The Yellowstone bison herd is considered to have minimal cattle gene introgression , meaning that there is no evidence of significant hybridization between these bison and cattle. The bison at Yellowstone National Park have become
10602-482: The same Greek word boubalos we also get the Bubal hartebeest . Bison was borrowed from French bison in the early 17th century, from Latin bison ( aurochs ), from a Proto-Germanic word similar to wisent and, per Etymonline, first applied to American buffalo in the 1690s. In Plains Indian languages in general, male and female bison are distinguished, with each having a different designation rather than there being
10716-403: The same range. Since cattle and bison eat similar food and tolerate similar conditions, they have often been in the same range together in the past, and opportunity for cross breeding may have been common. Most bison today are descendants of five herds that were conserved during the near-extinction event of the late 19th century. These herds were subject to cattle crossbreeding experiments and as
10830-486: The same range. Since cattle and bison eat similar food and tolerate similar conditions, they have often been in the same range together in the past, and opportunity for cross breeding may sometimes have been common. In recent decades, tests were developed to determine the source of mitochondrial DNA in cattle and bison, and it was found that most private 'buffalo' herds were actually crossbred with cattle, and even most state and federal buffalo herds had some cattle DNA. With
10944-455: The season. In addition to dominance, the older bison of a generation also have a higher fertility rate than the younger ones. Bison mate in August and September; gestation is 285 days. A single reddish-brown calf nurses until the next calf is born. If the cow is not pregnant, a calf will nurse for 18 months. Cows nurse their calves for at least 7 or 8 months, but most calves seem to be weaned before
11058-461: The small amount of domestic cattle genes that are now in most bison populations, though this is not the only possible explanation for bison success. In the study, cattle genes were also found in small amounts throughout most herds. "The hybridization experiments conducted by some of the owners of the five foundation herds of the late 1800s, have left a legacy of a small amount of cattle genetics in many of our existing bison herds." He also said, "All of
11172-487: The small amount of domestic cattle genes that are now in most bison populations, though this is not the only possible explanation for bison success. In the study, cattle genes were also found in small amounts throughout most national, state, and private herds. "The hybridization experiments conducted by some of the owners of the five foundation herds of the late 1800s, have left a legacy of a small amount of cattle genetics in many of our existing bison herds," said Derr. "All of
11286-470: The small size of only 12 individuals in the founder population. A side finding of this was that the Antelope Island bison herd appears to be most closely related to the Wood Buffalo National Park bison herd, though the Antelope Island bison are actually plains bison. In order to bolster the genetic diversity of the American bison, the National Park Service alongside the Department of the Interior announced
11400-849: The smaller range of sizes, and wood bison in the larger range. Head-rump lengths at maximum up to 3.5 m (11 ft 6 in) for males and 2.85 m (9 ft 4 in) for females long and the tail adding 30 to 95 cm (1 ft 0 in to 3 ft 1 in). Heights at withers in the species can reach up to 186 to 201 cm (6 ft 1 in to 6 ft 7 in) for B. b. bison and B. b. athabascae respectively. Typically weights can range from 318 to 1,179 kg (701 to 2,599 lb), 460 to 988 kg (1,014 to 2,178 lb) with medians of 730 to 792.5 kg (1,609 to 1,747 lb) ( B.b. bison ) and 943.6 kg (2,080 lb) ( B.b.athabascae ) in males, and 360 to 640 kg (790 to 1,410 lb) with medians of 450 to 497.6 kg (992 to 1,097 lb) in females, although
11514-463: The species was culled down to just 541 animals by 1889 as part of the subjugation of the Native Americans, because the American bison was a major resource for their traditional way of life (food source, hides for clothing and shelter, and horns and bones for tools). Recovery efforts expanded in the mid-20th century, with a resurgence to roughly 31,000 wild bison as of March 2019. For many years,
11628-562: The state owned bison herds tested (except for possibly one) contain animals with domestic cattle mtDNA." It appears that the one state herd that had no cattle genes was the Henry Mountains bison herd; the Henry Mountain herd was started initially with transplanted animals from Yellowstone Park. However, the extension of this herd into the Book Cliffs of central Utah involved mixing the founders with additional bison from another source, so it
11742-469: The state owned bison herds tested (except for possibly one) contain animals with domestic cattle mtDNA." It appears that the one state herd that had no cattle genes was the Henry Mountains bison herd in the Henry Mountains of Utah, which were descended from transplanted animals from Yellowstone Park. It is unknown if the Book Cliffs extension of this herd in Central Utah is also free of hybridization;
11856-491: The state-owned bison herds tested contained animals with domestic cattle mitochondrial DNA, with the possible exception of the Henry Mountains bison herd of Utah. Most national herds, except Wind Cave and Yellowstone, also appear to be hybridized. A separate study by Wilson and Strobeck, published in Genome, was done to define the relationships between different herds of bison in the United States and Canada, and to determine whether
11970-722: The summer. In the Hayden Valley, Wyoming, bison have been recorded traveling, on average, 3 km (2 mi) per day. The summer ranges of bison appear to be influenced by seasonal vegetation changes, interspersion and size of foraging sites, the rut , and the number of biting insects. The size of preserve and availability of water may also be a factor. Bison are largely grazers, eating primarily grasses and sedges. On shortgrass pasture, bison predominately consume warm-season grasses. On mixed prairie, cool-season grasses, including some sedges, apparently compose 79–96% of their diet. In montane and northern areas, sedges are selected throughout
12084-684: The time-obliterated paths of mastodon or muskox and the routes of the mound builders , were the traces made by bison and deer in seasonal migration and between feeding grounds and salt licks . Many of these routes, hammered by countless hoofs instinctively following watersheds and the crests of ridges in avoidance of lower places' summer muck and winter snowdrifts, were followed by the aboriginal North Americans as courses to hunting grounds and as warriors' paths. They were invaluable to explorers and were adopted by pioneers . Bison traces were characteristically north and south, but several key east–west trails were used later as railways. Some of these include
12198-445: The tribe Bovini . Genetic evidence from nuclear DNA indicates that the closest living relatives of bison are yaks , with bison being nested within the genus Bos , rendering Bos without including bison paraphyletic . While nuclear DNA indicates that the two living bison species are each other's closest living relatives, the mitochondrial DNA of European bison is more closely related to that of domestic cattle and aurochs , which
12312-464: The wild and were not reintroduced. Bison are distantly related to the two "true buffalo", the Asian water buffalo and the African buffalo . " Bison " is a Greek word meaning ox -like animal, while "buffalo" originated with the French fur trappers who called these massive beasts bœufs , meaning ox or bullock. The term "buffalo", dates to 1635 in North American usage when the term was first recorded for
12426-441: The year. Bison also drink water or consume snow on a daily basis. Female bison live in maternal herds which include other females and their offspring. Male offspring leave their maternal herd when around three years old and either live alone or join other males in bachelor herds. Male and female herds usually do not mingle until the breeding season, which can occur from July through September. However, female herds may also contain
12540-595: Was applied in the 1690s. Buffalo was applied to the American bison by Samuel de Champlain as the French word buffles in 1616 (published 1619), after seeing skins and a drawing. These were shown to him by members of the Nipissing First Nation , who said they traveled forty days (from east of Lake Huron) to trade with another nation who hunted the animals. Buffel in turn comes from Portuguese bufalo (water buffalo), which comes from Latin bufalus (an antelope, gazelle, or wild ox), from Greek boubalos . From
12654-399: Was critical to getting brucellosis-free animals from Yellowstone to conservation herds. Quarantine was talked about in the 1990s during the negotiations on the IBMP. During 2005–2012, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) developed and verified procedures for identifying Yellowstone bison that don't have brucellosis. Quarantine worked as bison that repeatedly tested negative for
12768-457: Was that of the expected "wood buffalo". However, the Yellowstone Park bison herd was pure plains bison, and not any of the other previously suggested subspecies. Another finding was that the bison in the Antelope Island herd in Utah appeared to be more distantly related to other plains bison in general than any other plains bison group that was tested, though this might be due to genetic drift caused by
12882-467: Was the last free-ranging bison herd in the United States being the only place where bison were not extirpated . The Yellowstone bison herd is descended from a remnant population of 23 individual bison that survived the mass slaughter of the 19th century in the Pelican Valley of Yellowstone Park. To assist in the species' revival, in 1896 the United States government obtained one bull and seven cows from
12996-525: Was truly that of the expected "wood buffalo" (Bison bison athabascae). However, the Yellowstone Park bison herd were pure plains bison ( Bison bison bison ), and not any of the other previously suggested subspecies. This is significant for the Wind Cave bison herd, since this herd was founded, in part, with animals from the Yellowstone Park bison herd. The bison in Wind Cave National park were also plains bison, as expected. With their genetic purity and
#102897