Bisons, often referred to as buffaloes, were once abundant in the North American plains. These relatives of the cow family live and move in large herds, and are herbivorous.

They have humped shoulders, and their bodies are covered with long, shaggy hair. The soft, woolly hair on their hind legs and lower parts of their bodies, moult during spring, leaving their haunches bare. Both genders have sharp, upward-curving horns. The males sometimes fight to establish dominance and leadership over the herd during the mating season. The fight ends with the loser backing away, either to rejoin the herd, or to leave it altogether.

The leader asserts his position by swinging his horns, or just by a look of warning. Bisons show dominance by being the first to feed, drink or wallow. Breeding bulls spend the winter in bachelor groups, and return home around July, when battles for possession of cows begin. Though bisons normally walk or trot, they can reach a speed of 30 mph!