The American bison (Bison bison) or "buffalo" is one of the most famous animals of the American West. Providing food and hides to the early Indians, it was almost completely eliminated by hunters, and now only remnant populations exist though its future survival seems assured.

Scientists do not consider the American bison a true buffalo (like the Asian water buffalo or the African buffalo), since it has a large head and neck, a hump at the shoulder, and 14 pairs of ribs instead of 13. In America, however, the names are used interchangeably. A full-grown American bison bull stand 5.5–6 ft (1.7–1.8 m) at the shoulder, extends 10–12.25 ft (3–3.8 m) in length from nose to tail, and weighs 1,600–3,000 lb (726–1,400 kg). Cows usually weigh about 900 lb (420 kg) or less. Bison are brown-black with long hair which covers their heads, necks, and humps, forming a "beard" at the chin and throat. Their horns can have...