Bison bison athabascae

(Rhoads, 1898)

Vernacular names
English : Wood bison
French : Bison des bois

Classification
Class : Mammalia
Order : Cetartiodactyla
Family : Bovidae
Notes : 1 other subspecies known.

Identification
Body length of 380 cm, shoulder height of 195 cm, weight of 998 kg. Short curved horns. Dark brown to black mane on head and shoulders. Rest of body brown. This subspecies is darker and has a different shaped back hump, being bigger and more forward oriented with abrupt near vertical drop behind head.

Range and habitat
This subspecies occurs as scattered populations in western and Central Canada. Species also found in western USA and extreme north Mexico. Mostly found in grasslands, rarely in forests.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : NEAR THREATENED
CITES : Appendix II
Status : The species mostly occurs in wildlife reserves as well managed herds and more herd creation plans are currently underway. Legally protected.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation

 

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