A bison is a large, heavy wild animal with a big head, humped shoulders, and shaggy hair, related to cows. North America and Europe both have bison species.
From Latin “bison,” likely from a Germanic word meaning “wild ox.” It entered English through scientific and natural history writings.
People often call North American bison “buffalo,” but true buffalo live in Africa and Asia. The American bison nearly went extinct from overhunting, then became a symbol of conservation success.
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