The bison is the largest chordal ungulate on the planet, so it can rightfully be considered one of the strongest creatures. A massive bison body with long horns can inspire fear even for strong predators. In addition to the formidable species, the ungulate has many interesting features.
Description and appearance
Bison are large and powerful animals. Their dimensions reach 3 meters in length and 2 in height. The front of the torso is more massive, and because of the short thick neck it seems that the head is a direct continuation of the torso. At the top there is a large hump. The chest is large and well developed, but the abdomen is retracted and inferior to it in size.
The neck is designed in such a way that the head of the bison is always lowered down. Because of this, it seems that the beast is always leaning forward. The head is similar to the face of an ordinary bull, but has a large frontal part, on it are located long pointed black horns.
Almost the entire body of the beast is covered with thick hair. Its color depends on the habitat, but most often has a brown tint. The fur is long and slightly curly. Even on the face, it grows in large quantities, often closing its eyes. Above the horns is a hat of hair, under which small rounded ears are hidden.
Area - where does the bison live?
A couple of centuries ago, when the bison population was much larger, they lived in forests, steppes and valleys. It was possible to meet them in the Caucasus, in Europe, Scandinavia, Iran and other countries.
But due to a sharp decrease in the number of bison, they gradually left for territories inaccessible to humans. Now they live in dense forests, where there are ponds. Most ungulates live in Belovezhskaya Pushcha.
Features
Despite the small visual differences, all types of bison have a number of characteristic features inherent in each individual:
- in the oral cavity there are 32 teeth, as in humans;
- the tongue and lips of the bison are lilac;
- the neck is very short but massive;
- eyes are round, always black;
- the tail grows to 85 cm, at its end there is a fluffy brush;
- a thick beard grows from the chest to the chin;
- there is a large hump on the back;
- males grow larger than females;
- the weight of adults is approximately 850 kg.
Despite the presence of such a large list of features, the bison is easier to distinguish from other bulls in the shape of its body, where the bulk is concentrated on the front.
Interesting fact: Despite the awkward body structure and heavy weight, bison are able to jump one and a half meters up.
Also, the beast has thin, but strong legs, which not only support its weight, but also allow you to quickly move in space.
Nutrition
Being herbivores, ungulates consume plants and tree bark for food. The diet depends on the place of residence and time of year. In the spring, most of the diet is plants and herbs. In the summer, bison prefer to eat berries, maple leaves and different fruits. With the onset of autumn, they switch to mushrooms, nuts and other vegetation.
Interesting fact: Acorns are a favorite bison treat. Often they settle in oak groves just because of them.
In winter, with food, things are worse, and ungulates are forced to gnaw at the bark of trees, as well as tear snowdrifts to find dried grass. Thanks to a well-developed sense of smell, this is not a problem, but it takes a lot of effort.
Every day, the bison is able to absorb up to 50 kg of different vegetation. The diet may consist of several hundred different herbs, trees and fruits. To help animals search for food, local people often stack dry hay near forests. In zoos and reserves, bison are regularly given fruits and vegetables, in addition to basic food.
The animal drinks once a day, usually in the evening.Having satiated once a day, it goes to a local source of water and absorbs large amounts of liquid.
Features of character and lifestyle
Bison are not aggressive animals. If a person meets them in the forest, then he may not be afraid, because the animals will not attack first. On the contrary, if you approach them with a bunch of grass, they will willingly eat it directly from your hands.
However, if danger is nearby, the bison will not be offended. He immediately becomes aggressive and is ready with all his strength to fly into the offender with sharp horns. You can understand that the beast is nervous by the slight swaying of the head. In most cases, the ungulate prefers to avoid a fight and retire peacefully.
The bison leads a measured lifestyle. In the morning and in the evening he goes in search of food, and in the afternoon he prefers to relax. In the summer he spends most of his time in forest groves, hiding from the rays of the sun. In cloudy weather, you can easily walk along the steppes and plains, exploring the nearby territories. In search of food, sometimes the beast travels hundreds of kilometers, while practically not getting tired.
Social structure
Adult males prefer to lead a hermit lifestyle, however, due to certain circumstances, they can live with other individuals. Females and young growth are flocking together, looking for food together and helping each other in every way. The main one is the most experienced female, which leads the rest behind her.
If danger arises, the herd does not scatter in different directions, but tries to stick together. More experienced and strong individuals stand in a ring, inside which young and weak bison hide. So they fend off predators who have no choice but to meet one of the individuals face to face.
In cold times, the herds living in the neighborhood can be combined into one to increase the chances of survival and the search for food.
Bison reproduction
The breeding season of bison begins in July and ends in October. At this time, the males adjoin the flocks, where there are females, and begin to fight for their attention. The most powerful get the right to create offspring, the weak go to search for females in other herds.
Pregnancy in bison lasts 9 months, most often one cub is born, very rarely there can be two. Immediately after birth, the mother licks the baby, helping him adapt to the world around him. And after a couple of hours, he is able to confidently follow her, focusing on the smell.
The first days the mother and the cub live independently, after which they return to the herd. Small bison feed on milk and do this for a year. However, plant foods can be tasted after a month.
Young males live in the pack for 3-4 years, after which they leave it and fall into separate groups, where they continue to grow and develop. And after a couple of years they wander around their territories and begin to lead an independent lifestyle.
Natural enemies
The bison is able to cope with almost any predator, but often the latter attack in packs on young or old individuals. The most dangerous for them are wolves, leopards, lynxes and bears.
Characteristic
A brief description of the bison is as follows:
- live 23-25 years;
- the race runs from July to September;
- pregnancy lasts 9 months;
- maturity occurs in one and a half to two years;
- calving starts at 4 years old;
- the female gives birth once a year;
- the calf eats milk from five months to a year;
- reproduction in a female of 3-18 years old, in a bull of 5-15;
- the calf can follow the mother one and a half hours after the appearance;
- the calf eats grass after three weeks.
Systematics and genetics
Bison descended from bison and supposedly first appeared in Southeast Asia during the Pliocene. Later they settled throughout Asia and migrated to Europe. They also soon ended up in North America, passing along the Bering Isthmus.Now the most ancient bison remains found by man are in the museum and they are more than two million years old.
In past time periods, many related species of bison lived on Earth, but at the moment only the American bison has survived. This is the only animal that can be considered a full fellow bison.
Interesting fact: the bison itself is to blame for the disappearance of other related species, since it has displaced them from habitat-friendly territories.
Some still argue whether European bison and American bison are considered to be representatives of a single subspecies or whether they should be classified separately. Both animals have 60 chromosomes each and are able to produce joint offspring, which is called "bison". But they also have many differences in the structure of DNA. Moreover, if the bison and bison are very similar on the Y-chromosome, then there are serious differences in their X-chromosome. Moreover, according to the latter, kinship with a yak can be traced in the bison, and in the bison with a tour that lived two and a half million years ago. This mix is due to the fact that in the past all these species came into contact with each other and produced hybrid offspring.
Types of Bison
In addition to the common European bison, three more species are distinguished.
Bialowieza (plain) bison
Bialowieza (plain) bison is a species living in England, Asia and Europe.
Interesting fact: The ancient Egyptians and Romans tried to tame the bison and exploit it as livestock. Also, the beast was used as opponents in gladiatorial battles.
Caucasian bison
Caucasian - had smaller dimensions and dark hair, disappeared in the XX century, and now people are trying to artificially restore it using hybrid crosses;
Carpathian (Hungarian) bison
Carpathian - the existence of this species is in question, since the only proof of this was the skull from the Budapest Museum, which was lost in 1956.
Of the above, only the plains have purebred representatives, although they are on the verge of extinction.
There are regular proposals to place mountain bison, bison, and other related representatives of ungulates in a separate view, but due to the large number of hybrids and similar genes, such initiatives are rejected.
Why is the bison so called?
Presumably the name “bison” came from the Old Slavonic word “goiter”, which meant “tooth”, later it was interpreted as “an animal with sharp horns”. Such a description is quite suitable for this animal.
In German and some European languages, the beast is called “wisent”, which translates as “fetid animal”. This name also appeared for a reason. During the rut, the bison exudes far from the most pleasant aromas.
In some countries, his name is “stumt”, which means “push”. Perhaps this word is attached to the bison due to its massive size and great weight, because it is able to move any heavy object.
Origin of the species
The species came from bison and is considered the last representative of wild bulls in Europe. Scientists classify bison as cloven-hoofed herbivorous mammals from the genus of bison and belong to the family of bovids.
It is not known exactly when the bison appeared, but it is proved that during the Ice Age they already existed. It was possible to establish according to the cave paintings of ancient people who hunted this ungulate and used for food.
It has been established that current bison are inferior in size to their ancestors. Thousands of years ago, herbivores were large.
What is the difference between bison and bison?
There are no cardinal differences between these animals, and only a knowledgeable person can distinguish a bison from a bison in appearance. The latter has a hump, horns and a smaller tail.
At the bison, the head is raised higher, and the body resembles a square in proportions. The bison humps harder and lowers its muzzle to the ground.Its body is like a rectangle that rests on shorter legs. The bison also molt closer to summer, which is why there is practically no fur on the back in hot weather, while bison always wear a lush woolen fur coat. Both species of ungulates have the same size.
How long do bison live?
Bison grow very slowly. Females become fully developed by the age of 7, and males by 10. However, at the age of 20, the body of individuals is already exhausted, and they are considered old.
Males live on average 20 years, and the bison, who lived 23 years, is a record among them. Females with longevity are doing better: they are able to live up to 30 years.
Population and species status
Now bison are on the verge of extinction, since in the last century they were mass hunted. It got to the point that only 65 individuals of this species remained on the planet. Now the situation has become much better thanks to the efforts of scientists.
Creating favorable conditions and crossing them with related species, a person was able to achieve an increase in the bison population to 6000 individuals. They are also listed in the Red Book as an endangered species.
Security
In 1923, an official ban on hunting bison was introduced. Since then, this occupation was considered criminal and promised serious punishment. In the 1940s, scientists caught individuals living in natural conditions and transported them to nature reserves. There began a program to increase the population of the beast. Favorable conditions have been created for him to facilitate reproduction.
As a result, when the first group of bison bred in an artificial environment was released into Belovezhskaya Pushcha, their number quickly increased to 700 individuals. Now they are under guard.
Human interaction
Since ancient times, the bison has been a hunted object for humans. People exterminated animals in order to obtain meat. This continued until the 20th century. The hunting of ungulates was carried out so massively that in the world they were practically gone. Because of this, a ban on hunting appeared, and scientists are trying in every possible way to increase their population.
Only the last 100 years, the bison can feel safe next to a person, but even without this he has many problems. Constant skirmishes with predators and vulnerability to many diseases complicate the life of these herbivores. People try to protect them from these problems, but they do not always succeed.
Bison in heraldry
Bison means hard work and vitality. Because of this, he is often found on the arms. For example, the Brest region placed the beast on its flag. And on the arms it is present in the Grodno region, the city of Svisloch, Serpukhov district and the city of Perloya.
