How much does an adult bison weigh. Bison animal (lat.

bison(Bison bonasus)- a wild forest bull, the largest ungulate animal of the European continent, which is rightfully considered a contemporary of the mammoth. Bull body length reaches 3 - 3.5 meters, shoulder height 1.7 - 2 meters, weight can reach one ton. The hair of the bison on the front of the body is thick, soft and long, which visually makes it seem even more massive and powerful. But the bison's voice is more like a dull grunt and does not correspond well to the created impression of an animal - a giant.

Written data on bison have been known since the 3rd century BC, and the fossil remains of bison ancestors date back to the Pliocene (1.5 million years ago). For most peoples, this powerful and beautiful beast personified the forces of nature, had a traditional cult significance, he was worshiped as one of the symbols of his native land.

Bison is a symbol of the entire environmental movement to save rare and endangered species of animals.. Thanks to breeding in nurseries, it has become the only species in the world that has survived only in captivity and successfully returns to nature!

Only man is to blame for the disappearance of bison in the wild. Poaching, deforestation and burning, unrestricted shooting of animals during periods of wars, civil unrest and revolutions led to the fact that by 1927 the bison was completely exterminated in nature. In 1927, all over the world, and only in captivity, there were only 48 bison left in the zoos of Europe. From 1933 to 1939, a single purebred bison named Bodo lived in the USSR, miraculously preserved in a reserve near Kherson.

Thanks to the activities of nurseries and zoological gardens, the bison was saved from complete extinction. Now world livestock there are about 4,500 bison, of which about 3,000 animals live in the wild.

How long do bison live?

Bison can not be attributed to the number of centenarians among animals. Their age is relatively short and does not exceed 30 years. Males usually live 10 years less than females. The recorded age limit for males is 23 years, but most of them die of old age at the age of 19-20 years. Bison grow rather slowly. Males reach full physical development by 10 years, females - by 7 years.

How long does a bison pregnancy last?

The first bison females bring when they reach the age of three. Pregnancy lasts about 9 months. Nine-ten-month-old calves are weaned from their mothers. Most of the bisons are born in May-June.

What do bison eat?

Bison feed on herbaceous and woody plants. They graze mainly in forest glades and in the floodplains of small rivers and streams, and in autumn on mowed glades, eating aftermath. The most beloved of tree species: willow, aspen and oak. Bison eat thin branches with leaves, peel and eat the bark from young trees. They love acorns.

In the nursery, in the summer, bison are fed twice a day with mixed fodder and tree fodder, and in winter they add more hay and succulent fodder - chopped beets or carrots. On average, an adult bison receives about 2 kg of feed per feeding, and an adult bison - 3 kg. Bison begin to receive dry food from the age of two months. Each paddock contains lick salt with mineral additives.

What is the nature of the bison?

By their nature, bison are rather timid, shy animals. In the forest in freedom, they usually avoid meeting a person and, seeing him, run away. In the pens of the nursery they keep much more boldly, although they obey the bison breeders. Bison very well remember the sounds accompanying the distribution of food. For example, in the nursery bison for breakfast and dinner (they don't have lunch) come to the sound of a hunting horn or a horn.

What is the difference between bison and bison?

The differences between bison and American bison are minor. The bison has a higher hump, which differs in shape, longer horns and tail. The bison's head is set higher than that of the bison. The body of a bison fits into a square, and for a bison it fits into an elongated rectangle, that is, the bison has a longer back and shorter legs. In the hot season, the back of the bison is covered with very short hair, almost bald, while the bison in all seasons has hair developed all over the body. Both species are approximately the same in size, although the American bison looks more compact and stronger due to its stockiness.

Bison is a species of mammals from the genus bison, considered one of the species of wild bull. Belongs to artiodactyls, the bovine family. It has an external resemblance to the American bison and tour. Quite a large animal from the artiodactyl family. At present, this species is considered endangered and is listed in the Red Book.

Bison is one of the last remaining representatives of wild bulls. The closest similar species is the bison. Bison and bison can interbreed, resulting in the appearance of bison. These species are often compared, they are similar in appearance and structure, but the bison looks larger and more powerful than the bison.

Appearance of the animal

The weight of an adult is approximately a ton, the ancestors of modern bison were much more powerful and their weight reached more than one ton. Now almost all animals are smaller, this is due to the gradual extermination of this species. The height of the bison at the withers is more than 180 centimeters. The length can be up to 300-330 centimeters. Female bison are usually smaller than males.

The front part of the bison is massive, the hump unites the neck and back of the animal. The back is slightly smaller. Volumetric and rather wide chest, strong legs with convex hooves. The forelegs are often slightly shorter than the hind legs. Legs are strong. In general, an animal of this species is very strong and hardy, able to overcome long distances. The bison have a wide and low forehead, the horns are widely spaced. The horns are round and smooth in shape, their length can be up to 65 centimeters. The horns of bison are black, sharp, with a collapse of about 70 cm. In old animals, they can be blunted or knocked down. The head of an animal of small size, compared with the body, is located low, more often the tail and back are higher. A formidable appearance to this animal is given by a beard and a voluminous mane. Often the color of the hair on the head and beard is darker than the rest of the color.

The sense of smell and auditory receptors are much more developed than the visual ones, although the ears of bison are small and hidden by voluminous hair. The coat is most often brown in color, may be with a reddish tint. In young bulls, it may be lighter in color.

The coat of the animal, like the color, changes depending on the summer or winter period. The coat is dense, short, but protects the animal well from cold and rain. The bison is almost entirely covered with hair, with the exception of the upper lip and nostrils. Longer hair is found around the neck and hump. The eyes are small, mobile, black, eyelashes are long, black. The jaw and shape of the teeth are similar in structure to other ruminant species. The oral cavity is dark in color, including the tongue and lips. An adult animal of this species has 32 teeth - incisors, molars and premolars, as well as fangs.

Bison rarely makes sounds, mostly they look like rumbling, in an angry state, sniffs loudly and snorts.

habitats

The habitat of these animals was originally from the Iberian Peninsula to the western region of Siberia, but soon the bison began to live only in dense forests. Bison also lived in England and in the south of Scandinavia. Previously, Caucasian bison living in the mountains of the Caucasus were also known, but they were exterminated. Most often, bison can be seen in deciduous coniferous or mixed forests. Previously, the open area was also the habitat of these animals.

Bison live in herds, usually no more than 20 individuals in one herd, consisting of young bulls, calves and cows. Males are in the herd only during the breeding season. Nowadays, they live in Russia, Moldova, Belarus, Spain and other countries on the territory of nature reserves. In Russia, these are Belovezhskaya Pushcha, national parks and nurseries.

Previously, bison were an object of hunting, most of them were also exterminated during the First World War. Despite attempts to preserve the population, at the moment the animal is considered rare and close to extinction. In our time, attempts are being made to preserve and breed bison, most of them live in zoos and nurseries.

Subspecies

• Plain teeth.
• Caucasian bison.
• Carpathian or Hungarian bison.

Plain bison lived in England, Scandinavia and western Siberia. At present, only this species has survived due to selection and breeding in protected areas, the rest have been exterminated. Plain bison are sometimes called Bialowieza. Bison of Caucasian origin were smaller, with curly hair. Purebred animals from the Caucasus were under the threat of extinction, and the last representative of the wild Caucasian bison was destroyed in 1926. All modern individuals occurred as a result of breeding in reserves and zoos where representatives of this species were located. The Carpathian bison and its existence causes numerous disputes among specialists; it is considered exterminated in the 18th century.

Lifestyle

Due to their large size, the bison may seem clumsy and slow, but this is not so. When aggressive, the animal is very dangerous. Bison strikes with horns, and the force of these blows is quite high. An obstacle or any kind of fence will not stop an angry animal. If the bison shakes its head and snorts, takes an attacking pose, it means that it is ready to pounce on the enemy. By themselves, animals rarely act as aggressors, preferring to hide in the forest from people and danger.

In a calm state, the animal stays during the day, usually the bison graze, or lie in the sun, chewing the cud. The herd usually consists of young individuals and females, males live alone or in small groups. Individuals can unite only if danger threatens, for example, it is necessary to protect the herd from predators or in cold winter. The head of the herd is an experienced female bison.

Usually bison do not threaten a person, one can say they avoid meeting people and try not to get into the field of view. An exception may be a female who defends her offspring, she can be quite aggressive, so you should not approach her.

Animals prefer to graze in selected areas, close to a watering hole or river bed. If the weather is dry and hot, then the bison go to the shady thickets of the forest. By nature, animals are very hardy and strong, they even know how to swim. They can cover decent distances in search of a new pasture or habitat. Bison can run quite fast, despite its weight and large size, however, for short distances.

Enemies

Danger for animals is a wolf or a bear, as well as a lynx and similar predators. Bison defend themselves from the attack of predators, creating a circle, inside of which there are cubs and the weakest individuals. An adult bison can defeat a predator alone, but young animals or weak animals are more at risk.

Food

Bison is a herbivorous mammal that eats thin branches, grass, leaves, and tree bark. They can also eat mushrooms, some berries or acorns. In reserves or zoos, they are additionally fed with hay. In winter, animals dig up the snow and topsoil in search of roots and coniferous needles. An adult bull may need up to 45 kg of food per day, there are known cases of teeth attacks on other animals if they try to take away food. In general, bison do not have good contact with other herbivores, for example, deer, elk, attacks are not uncommon.

Reproduction and development

The mating season for bison begins in summer or early autumn. Males appear in the herds, who begin to compete and fight for females. At the beginning of the fight for the female, the animals defiantly snort, shake their horns, and dig the ground. Usually bison strike hard with their horns, collide head-on and try to drive the opponent away. Sometimes fights are not only a show of strength, but also leave the defeated bison with serious injuries. The defeated male usually admits his defeat if he bows his head and walks away.

A pregnant female walks for about 9 months, childbirth usually occurs at the beginning of summer. A healthy female bison can give birth almost every year. Usually one cub is born, very rarely two calves are born. After a few hours, the calf can stand up. Calves remain in the herd for several years, then, when they reach adulthood, the young bull leaves the herd. On average, the life span of a bison is about 20 years; in the reserve, the life span can be increased up to 27-30 years.

The calf is born weighing up to 20 kilograms, for 7 months or a year the female feeds him with milk. Even after a few weeks, the calf can eat plant foods, but it is still strongly attached to the mother and follows her and her scent.

A bison is considered sexually mature after 6 or more months. After 5-6 years, the growth of the animal stops.

Bison in history and culture

The image of a bison is often used in literature, on emblems and drawings as a symbol of power and endurance. The first mention of the bison occurred in cave paintings and in medieval works of art. In heraldry, bison are depicted as a symbol of labor and strength. In some countries, sculptures and figurines depicting this animal are popular. Also, the image of this animal can be found on stamps, banknotes and coins. Bison are often mentioned in the names of various sports teams and other things. This animal is also a symbol of Belarus.

Video: bison (Bison bonasus)

The bison animal is a huge artiodactyl animal, a relative of other similar hoofed giants. Many epithets have been attached to the bison - the king of bulls, the lord of the forest, a contemporary of the mammoth.

This beast is associated with strength, power and perseverance, and yet, through the fault of man, he almost disappeared from the face of the earth.

With its appearance and size, the animal resembles a bison, only the front part of its body is more massive, the head is very low, and a large hump stands out at the withers.

The body is covered with short dark brown hair, which lengthens noticeably on the head and neck. Powerful horns help defend against predators. An adult male weighs 800 - 900 kilograms, its body length is about 3 meters, and the average height at the withers is 1.9 meters. You can listen to the sound of the animal on this.

The bison animal is the largest land mammal in Europe. Because of his impressive size, he seems clumsy, but, on the other hand, he can jump over barrier more than 2 meters high, also a wild bull can swim well.

In the Middle Ages, the bison was distributed throughout Europe. In ancient times, bison hunting was considered a very popular entertainment for noble people - having killed just one animal, one could stock up on meat for a whole year.

The brutal extermination led to the fact that at the beginning of the 20th century there were only a few dozen of them left in all of Europe.

A real salvation for wild bulls have become specially created nurseries, where they life is no longer in danger . One of the most famous bison habitats is the Belovezhskaya Pushcha Reserve, located on the territory of Belarus and Poland.

By taking European bison under protection, it was possible to increase their number up to 3 thousand individuals. They live not only in nurseries, but also in the wild. You can meet them at:

• Russia,
• Belarus,
• Poland,
• Latvia,
• Lithuania,
• Moldova
• Kyrgyzstan

Animal bison are collected in small herds, each of which has 5-15 individuals. The herd consists of females and calves, led by an elderly and experienced female, and the males are kept alone. A strict hierarchy reigns in the herd - the strongest animals have the right to choose the best places for feeding and resting. Bison graze in the morning and in the evening, and during the day they rest and chew their cud.

In summer, the diet of bison consists of juicy grass and fresh leaves, in autumn they eat acorns with pleasure, and in winter - tree bark and shrubs. With a lack of food, they can eat mushrooms, berries, coniferous needles and lichens. In one day, a wild bull eats an average of 50 kilograms of feed.

Enemies

The main enemy of the bison animal in the wild is the wolf. Fleeing from wolves, animals form a kind of lifeline, where weak females and calves hide.

However, even predators turned out to be not as dangerous for them as humans. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the activities of hunters and poachers almost led to the complete extermination of these rare animals.

Pregnancy occurs at the end of summer and lasts 9 months. One is born in the spring calf weighing 20 - 25 kilograms. For six months, the bison feeds on mother's milk. During this time, the mother protects her cub not only from enemies, but also from adult bison.

The life expectancy of bison is 20-25 years.

The European bison animal is listed in the Red Book of Russia and the International Red Book.

1. Bison symbolizes strength, nobility and diligence.
2. Its image is widely used in heraldry: it is depicted on the coat of arms of Moldova, the Grodno region, the Serpukhov region, some Belarusian and Lithuanian cities, as well as on the coat of arms of the Belovezhskaya Pushcha reserve.
3. The bison is depicted on the emblems of the Moldovan football club "Zimbru" and the Belarusian hockey club "Dinamo".

Today bison seem to be some fantastic creatures from the past. Their population has been on the verge of extinction in recent years, but humanity took timely measures in order to save bison on our planet. Report on the topic "Bison" tell you about these wonderful animals.

bison report

General information about bison

Bison are fairly large artiodactyl animals. They belong to the family of bovids. It is related to such types of bulls as yak, buffalo, banteng, gaur. The closest relative of the bison is the American bison.

The first written mention of bison dates back to the III century. BC, and the most ancient fossils belong to the Pliocene - about 1.5 million years ago. In the old days, many peoples worshiped the bison, because he acted as a symbol of his native land.

Today the bison is listed in the Red Book of Russia.

Bison habitat

Once bison lived in almost all of Europe and the Caucasus, but hunting for these animals led to a decrease in the population. For example, in the XI century they completely disappeared from the territory of France and became a rare phenomenon in Western Europe.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Caucasian species of bison completely died out, and not a single species of animal remained in the natural environment; it began to be considered extinct, being only in captivity.

Only for the sake of its salvation as a species, thanks to acclimatization, the bison population is gradually increasing. At the moment, bison can be found in Moldova, Western Ukraine, Poland, Spain, Belarus, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania and Hungary.

Appearance of a bison

The appearance of a bison is practically no different from the appearance of a typical bull. He has a massive chest and withers, a narrow and skinny croup. The head is massive, with a wide forehead and a pair of short, curved horns on the head. The nose is blue-black, like the rest of the bulls, not covered with hair. The bison's legs are quite slender and quite high, the stomach does not sag, there is no dewlap on the chest. The body of the animal is covered with short and tight hair. On the tail is a brush of long hair.

Males reach a weight of 850 kg, and the weight of females - up to 700 kg. Interestingly, modern bison are much smaller than those that lived in past centuries, then the animals were more than 1 ton!

What do bison eat?

Bison feed on vegetation, and their diet is varied, about 400 species of vegetation. In summer, they prefer to feed on succulent grass, shoots of shrubs and tree bark, they feed less often. In autumn, animals prefer to eat acorns. In winter, under the snow, they look for green plant remains, digging them up with their noses. If there is not enough favorite food, then bison can eat berries, mushrooms, needles and lichens.

In a day, one bison can eat up to 40-60 kg of green mass and drink 50 liters of water; in winter, animals can eat snow.

How to save bison?

The bison is a symbol of the conservation movement for the conservation of endangered and rare animal species. This is the only animal in the world that was originally preserved only in captivity, and today it is quite successfully returning to its natural environment.

Only man is to blame for the disappearance of the bison in nature - poaching, burning and deforestation, shooting bison during wars and revolutions led to their complete extermination in the wild.

According to statistics for 1927, there were 48 bison left in the world and only in captivity. Only thanks to nurseries and zoological gardens, bison were saved from complete extinction. Today, the number of livestock of these animals is about 4500 heads. The largest bison reserve in the world is the Belovezhskaya Pushcha Reserve, Belarus.

1. Bison have never been domesticated in history, but they can produce hybrids with bison and livestock - bison. Zubrons, of course, are sterile, but rather unpretentious and have lean meat rich in protein.

2. In the natural environment, the bison lives up to 25 years.

3. Animals can jump over obstacles up to 2 meters high.

4. In our time, there is only one species of bison, the other two (European and Caucasian) were completely exterminated.

We hope that the above information about bison has helped you. And you can leave your story about bison through the comment form.

It belongs to the genus of bison, the subfamily of bovine bovids, the order of artiodactyls. They have earned the title of lord of the forests. The history of the presented animal goes back to ancient times and is striking in its drama. The bison, exterminated to a critical minimum, continues to exist in specially created nurseries, zoos, zoological gardens and forest reserves. Therefore, this type of bison is included in the Red Book. Specialists of reserves and individuals are trying on their own to preserve and save the last individuals of the population. Therefore, there are few places where bison live today, but such closed zones exist.

Distinctive features of the animal

The largest representative of land mammals in Europe, the bison is a descendant of a wild bull. During the Middle Ages, this type of animal lived in forests from east to west throughout Eurasia. Peculiarities:

1. An adult bison reaches up to 1 ton of weight. But the mass can range from 700 to 900 kg.
2. 185-190 cm - the height of the beast.
3. The length of the animal reaches 260-340 cm.

Only the female can be smaller.

The bison has a massive front part of the body. There is a small hump that connects the back and short neck. The back of the body is smaller and seems to be compressed.

The tail has a length of up to 85 cm, it is covered with soft hair. At the end there is a hair bundle, it looks like a small artistic brush. The bison's legs are strong and strong. The convex front hooves are much smaller than the hind hooves.

The broad forehead is very low. Experts confirm that the tail is much higher than the crown of the animal. The black horns are pushed forward and spaced. Their length is about 60 cm, while the collapse of the horns reaches 80 cm.

Large nature reserves in Russia

And now let's look at where the bison lives in Russia, in which reserves. Since the bison is listed in the Red Book, it is almost impossible to meet it in the wild today. But there are a large number of reserves and nurseries in which animals are in the most comfortable environment.

In the Prioksko-Terrasny State Biosphere Reserve (Moscow Region, Serpukhov District), bison are grown, and subsequently they are sent to various regions of Russia, the CIS countries and the Baltic. For the period from the moment of foundation in 1948 to 2009, 328 individuals were grown. Animals are also raised:

1. In the Oksky State Reserve, located in the Ryazan region.
2. Cherginsky nursery in Altai.
3. In the Pleistocene Park (Republic of Yakutia).
4. About 50 individuals live in the Klyazma-Lukhsky reserve (Vladimir region). Animals live almost in the wild.

Animal behavior in the environment

The bison begins to move actively after eating. They are adapted to extreme weather conditions. Hot summer temperatures and harsh winters are not terrible for them. Thick fur protects them from the cold. In winter, the bison can break through the deep snow with its head in order to get the vegetation below.

It is difficult to answer where the bison lives, in what natural zone, since their habitat is reserves and reserves from east to west of Eurasia. Most of the population today is in Russia, in particular, in the Prioksko-Terrasny Biosphere Reserve. In other reserves and sanctuaries, the population is much smaller. Animals are exported from Russia to European countries - Poland, Germany, Slovakia, etc. There are two types of bison:

1. Belovezhsky. Animals are larger, have long legs.
2. Caucasian. This species differs only in that it is smaller in size and the coat is more curly.

The behavior of the modern bison is no different from its predecessors, who lived hundreds of years ago. He is fast, strong and strong, his main task is to protect his own territories. But due to the popularity of wool and horns on the black market, the bison has been included in the list of endangered animal species.

What are the differences between bison and bison?

The American bison is practically no different from the bison. There are some assumptions that talk about their relationship. The bison has a rather high hump, it also differs in shape, the length of the horns and tail is slightly longer. The physique of a bison fits into a square, and that of a bison - into an elongated rectangle. Such a slight difference may not be immediately noticeable. The bison has a long back, and its legs are much shorter.

In hot summer weather, almost the entire back of the bison's body is covered with short hair. From the outside it looks like he's going bald. At the same time, the bison has hair all over its body, regardless of the season and weather. Bison and bison are the same size. But the bison seems more compact and stronger due to the squat. The American bison lives where there are most flat areas.

Reserves in Europe

Abroad, they are also anxious about the conservation of this species of animals. Many individuals were brought to Europe from nurseries located on the territory of Russia and the former countries of the Soviet Union. To date, bison can be found in the following European countries:

1. Ukraine. It was in Kherson in the 30s of the 20th century that several individuals of the wild bison were found. It is only thanks to them that the population is restored.
2. Poland.
3. Germany. Zoologist Jan Stolzmann in Frankfurt am Main founded the International Society for the Protection of Bison in 1923.
4. Moldova.
5. Slovakia.

Initially, the bison's habitat was in the territory from the Iberian Peninsula to Western Siberia, while England and Scandinavia were included in this list.

Bison nutrition

Where the bison lives, the natural area is filled with greenery. This species feeds on plants - herbaceous and woody. You can find them in a forest clearing or near small rivers. In autumn, they graze mainly on mowed fields, eating the remains of grass. Common tree species in the bison diet:

1. Aspen.
2. Acorn.

They eat thin branches from trees along with leaves, peel off the bark. Answering the question about where the bison lives and in what zone, it is worth noting his favorite places - forest glades.

In specially built nurseries in summer weather bison are fed compound feed several times a day. In winter, hay and succulent feed, chopped beets and carrots are added to the diet. Experts calculated that, on average, one adult female receives 2 kg of compound feed, while a bison receives up to 3-4 kg. They are accustomed to dry food from two months from the moment of birth. Each corral is equipped with salt (lick), mineral additives are added to it.

Why is the bison on the verge of extinction?

Wolves and rod bears are a threat to this animal species. But in most cases, the person is to blame. Bison lives where poachers can easily pass. Due to cutting down and burning of forests, their habitats were destroyed. Unlimited shooting of animals during the First World War led to the fact that by 1927 there were no wild bison left.

But zoos and private estates have kept some of these animals. Breeding bison in parks, forest reserves and zoological gardens has become a purposeful action. After the release of young animals into the wild, the number of bison has increased significantly, and it is likely that soon its population will return to its original value.