American Bison/Buffalo Bison bison

The American Bison, also called Buffalo and North America's heaviest land animal, is not a true buffalo (like the Asian Water Buffalo).

It is a little heavier than the European Bison (Wisent) and has shorter horns, a far shorter tail and much shaggier, longer hair on its neck/shoulders.

Both Bisons have some capability to interbreed with the largest Asian wild cattle, the Gaur, and with the Yak and so are sometimes put in the same genus, Bos, rather than their own genus, Bison.

There are 2 subspecies: the Plains Bison and the larger Wood Bison. All the above are Plains Bison (Bison bison bison). In the past Bison roamed much of North America in their millions but were nearly driven to extinction in the 19th century by commercial hunting, mass culling (especially by railroads) and introduction of domestic bovine diseases.

In the row immediately above is the larger and heavier Wood Bison subspecies (Bison bison athabascae), America's largest land animal. It usually has a darker coat, less fur around the front legs and has its tallest point forward of its front legs rather than above. Both are undergoing conservation breeding to restore some populations. The Plains Bison is also farmed domestically.