Bison

Dolly and Reba joined The Zoo family in the spring of 2024. They are very sweet and gentle with their keepers.

Bison bison bison

Up to 20 years

Isolated regions in the plains of the United States

Bison have a diet of vegetation, and will selectively graze based on the time of year.

Bison live in maternal herds in which the eldest female is the leader. These herds include other younger females and their offspring. At about 3 years of age, male offspring leave their maternal herd to either live alone or in small groups of males.

Conservation Status

Threats in the Wild

Hunting throughout the 19th century nearly eliminated the American bison. Direct conservation efforts have brought about some recovery for the species, but threats remain. These include habitat loss and rapidly changing gene pools within captive and herds.

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