Bison of the West for Kids | Learn all about these special mammals

What is the difference between a buffalo and a bison? This video for kids explains that there are no buffalo in the United States (unless you can find one in a zoo, of course). That big brown creature that roams Yellowstone National Park is an American Bison. These mammals certainly look similar to yaks and buffalos and, to some degree, cows. But they are their own species. In fact, the scientific name for a bison is bison bison bison!

The diet for a bison consists of only plants. Bison do not eat meat. Primarily, they eat mostly grasses, weeds, and leafy plants. They actually consume around 24 pounds of grass every day. They eat until they are full, then they rest. Then they eat again and rest again. They do this over and over for nine to eleven hours every day!

At one point in American history, there were tens of millions of bison roaming North America. Sadly, this massive population was reduced to only 500 animals, almost sealing their fate as extinct. The animals were hunted as a sport or killed for other reasons, even government-encouraged reasons. But President Theodore Roosevelt saved the day for the bison when he realized amazing the land out West was with the bison on it. He and a man named William Hornaday formed the American Bison Society. Because of their efforts, bison now live in all 50 states!

We hope you and your student(s) enjoyed learning about this unique beast! If you want to learn even more, head over to our website and download one of our many lesson plans about animals, full of activities, worksheets, and more!

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