Stats

Lifespan

14-25 yrs

Size

Huge

Diet

Herbivore

Activity

Diurnal

Social

Herd

Biome

Temperate forest

Range

Europe

Movement

Walking

Breeding

Live Birth

Defense

Herd Safety

Status

Near Threatened

About

The European bison, or wisent, is the heaviest wild land animal in Europe, and individuals in the past may have been even larger than their modern-day descendants. During the early years of the 20th century, bison were hunted to extinction in the wild.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   newborn calf

   A wobbly calf stands within hours of birth and stays close to its mother in the herd.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   A weaned juvenile grazes alongside adults, develops budding horns, and learns herd hierarchy.
3. 3.
   adult

   Fully grown, with adult horns and full body size.

Learn more

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Artiodactyla

Family

Bovidae

Genus

Bison

Species

Bison bonasus