History
This continent is where bison ancestors migrated from before reaching North America
What is Asia?
Newborn bison weigh roughly this amount
What is 20–40 pounds?
Bison primarily live in these two types of ecosystems
What are grasslands and parklands?
The bison breeding season (rut) occurs during these months
What is June to September?
Historically, bison numbers dropped to this low range
What is 300–500 individuals?
Native Americans have been hunting bison for at least this many years
What is 11,000 years?
Bison calves can do this almost immediately after birth.
What is stand?
Bison mainly eat this type of vegetation
What is grass?
Bison calves are typically born during this time of year
What is late spring to early summer?
Today, approximately this many bison live in wild herds
What is around 30,000?
This explorer was the first European to document bison in the 1530s.
Who is Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca?
Female bison typically do this after being weaned
What is stay in the same herd?
Name one common grass species bison eat
What is Blue Grama / Sand Dropseed / Big or Little Bluestem?
This is the approximate gestation period of a bison.
What is 285–340 days?
This subspecies of bison is listed as threatened
What is the woods bison?
The modern American bison species is approximately this many years old
What is 5,000 years?
Mature males often leave to join these types of groups.
What are bachelor herds?
Bison need to eat about this percentage of their body mass daily
What is 1.6%?
Female bison usually have this many calves at a time
What is one?
Name one major modern threat to bison populations.
What is habitat loss / fragmentation / low genetic diversity / hybridization with cattle?
Bison ancestors migrated to North America during this approximate time range
What is 195,000 to 135,000 years ago?
Typical herd sizes most commonly fall within this range
What is 3–500 individuals?
On average, bison consume about this much food per day
What is ~25 pounds?
This term describes the mating system where males breed with multiple females.
What is polygynous?
Wildlife managers aim to maintain this bull-to-cow ratio in herds.
What is 50 bulls to 100 cows?