Class: Mammalia Order: Artiodactyla Family: Bovidae Genus: Bison Species: bison
Bison are the largest land animal in North American and are considered the National Mammal of the United States. Both male (bull) and female (cow) bison are very similar in appearance with a hump over their front shoulders, hallow horns, and thick shaggy hair on their head and front parts of the bison. Bulls are considerably larger than their female counterparts at around 5.5 to 6.5 feet (1.9 meters) high at the hump and nine to 12.5 feet (2.7 to 3.8 meters) in length. Cows range from 7 to 10 feet in length (2.2 to 3.2 meters) and 5 feet high at the hump (1.5 meters). Bison can weigh 1,800 to 2,400 pounds (816 to 1,088 kilograms).
