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B i s o n

There were once millions of bison roaming the North American grasslands. The early European settlers killed so many it nearly brought them to extinction. The American Bison Society has built up herds today. These herds live in a semiwild state. There are about 20,000 bison living today. Bison are humped and covered with the shaggy, brownish-black fur. The fur grows thickly on its head, neck and front legs. The female looks like the male, but is smaller. The young are more reddish-brown. All bison have short, sharp horns. Bison live in herds that can be as small as a family or as big as several thousand. They feed morning and evening. During the day, they rest, chewing the cud or wallowing in mud or dust.