Bison, bison and absolutely incomprehensible creatures, bison at first glance are indistinguishable to an ignorant person. One can only speculate about how they were generally managed to be called differently and not to be confused. However, you just have to take a closer look and start looking for differences, looking at a few photos of a bison and a bison in comparison - and you are unlikely to ever be mistaken in determining who their mighty bulls appeared before your eyes this time. Of course, it will not work to become a specialist right away, but flashing erudition before other lovers is easy!
Long-standing dispute between zoologists
In the zoological classification, bison and bison diverge only at the species level - they have one family and genus. On the difference between them and the possibility of attributing wild bulls to two different species, and not smaller subgroups of one, the debate is still ongoing. Studies of geneticists have shown a strong similarity between the paternal component of their chromosomes, but a significant difference in the maternal one, which allows not to unite animals into a group.
Despite this, some scientists have a different opinion - bison and bison are only subspecies. In favor of this statement, the fact of the free crossing of animals is given, which as a result gives a viable, strong offspring, known as bison.
However, no matter how hard they try to classify them from the point of view of science, the external differences between the bison and the bison are still obvious.
What is the difference between a bison and a bison
The appearance of these animals is characterized by similarities and differences. In almost every unique feature of these ungulates compared to others, there is a difference between the two species.
Origin
The common closest ancestor is the steppe bison, the similarity is noticeable along the line of the paternal chromosome.
However, bison are genetically closer to the ancient tour, and bison are closer to yak, which is explained by the crossing of a common ancestor with different types of wild bulls.
Appearance
Bison and bison, although similar to each other, are strikingly different from all other fauna of the Earth.
- They are the largest ungulate mammals of their range, according to weight. The difference in bison and bison in body weight is significant - the former are much heavier, up to 1300 kg whereas the latter usually do not exceed 850 kg.
- The body length of both those and other adults by the male is, on average, up to 2.5-3 meters, height - about 2 m, longer back. Females of both species are noticeably smaller and lighter than males.
- The front part of the animal’s body is wider, stronger and more developed than the back, covered with thick long hair. On the head, the hairline is darker.
- The general shape of the body of bison can conditionally be almost inscribed in a square, bison in an elongated rectangle. The bison is more like an ordinary domestic bull.
- They have a pronounced hump formed by a short powerful neck and part of the back. Bison have a lower hump than bison. Males of both species are higher than females.
- Legs rather short, but strong, hind legs longer than front ones. Despite this, they reach speeds of up to 50 km / h. The bison have longer and slender legs.
- The head is low, although the bison has a wide forehead than the bison.
- The bison have longer horns. In both bulls, they are hollow, round in cross section, black, smooth, curved outwards, the ends turned inward. The base of the horn is wider, it gradually narrows.
- Dark brown eyes, squirrel almost invisible, long eyelashes.
- The head is covered with curly hair from above, on the neck and under the chest it is straight and long. On the chin, the beard is more pronounced in bison.
- At the end of the tail is a brush. In bison, it is more noticeable. The bison have a tail entirely covered with rather long hair, the density of which at the end increases, forming a brush. The tail of the bison is shorter.
- Males and females are clearly distinguishable even from afar. In females, the genitals and udder are almost invisible even during feeding. The genitals of the bulls are shifted to the lower abdomen and stand out noticeably.
Lifestyle
- They live together in groups. The number in normal times is from one to several dozen goals. The group consists of females and immature bulls, which are separated, having grown up, to join to satisfy the instinct of procreation. At other times, they exist individually or in groups of 10-15 males. The herd stock can increase during the periods of rutting (breeding) up to several hundreds and even thousands of individuals. During a period of food shortage, on the contrary, the groups are divided into even smaller ones.
- The breeding season begins in May and ends in September.
- Bison often form numerous herds due to their larger numbers and lifestyle (especially in the lowland subspecies).
- Occupy a permanent territory of 30-100 km 2, depending on weather conditions and feed availability.
- Active during the day, in the dark, resting.
- They eat plant foods in the morning and evening.
- At rest, they make sounds similar to mooing, during periods of danger and running - like snoring or grunting.
- Close connections between individuals. There have been cases of returning to the bodies of dead animals.
Features of physiological functions and development
Both animals have well-developed organs of hearing and smell, eyesight is somewhat weaker.
The bison are covered with thick hair all year round, while the bison in the warm season shed much on the back of the body.
The gestational age of females is 9 months.
The achievement of individual independence occurs on average in one year. Departure into a male team or unit for life alone can happen even at the age of three.
Habitat
Bison and bison - what is the difference between them yet? The answer can also be called their habitat.
Bison inhabit the North American continent.
The range of bison was initially very wide - the plains and forests of the entire European part of Eurasia - from southern Scandinavia to Siberia. Now within the same limits they live mainly in wildlife sanctuaries, reserves and zoos. Work is underway on active breeding and subsequent adaptation of animals to the natural conditions of the wild.
During the period of critical reduction in the number of bison, bison remained only in Belovezhskaya Pushcha and the Caucasus.
Bison and Bison Status
The bison simultaneously has the status of a wild animal and livestock.
Bison are not domesticated, although there are nurseries, including bison (for example, located near the village of Toksovo in the Leningrad Region).
Less than 5% of all bisons are state property, the rest are commercial, privately owned.
Bison have the status of a species close to a vulnerable position. Bison are listed in the Red Book as endangered animals.
Varieties within a species
There are two pure species of bison - flat (also called steppe) and forest.
The bison is represented only by the plain (steppe) and a cross with the Caucasian, whose purebred representatives are exterminated.
In comparing the bison and bison, there are some errors that depend on the types of both. For example, the bison will differ significantly in the smaller herd size and diverse diet from the plain bison, but have more similarities with the forest one.
Caucasian bison
The Caucasian bison is now an absent species. All the descendants of the last thoroughbred bull of the Caucasus were obtained from crossing it with lowland bison - 12 individuals and their descendants.
The Caucasian bison were lighter, had compact dimensions in comparison with the plain relatives living mainly in mixed forests.
Their color is more reddish, even reddish.
Flat bison
The only purebred species obtained from 7 of 12 surviving individuals by selection.
The color is brown, the body is massive. They are heavier and larger than their Caucasian counterparts.
Plain bison
- It has a large head, covered with thick curly hair, over which horns often almost do not protrude.
- The fur cover of the front of the body is well defined.
- The color is lighter than that of the forest species of bison.
- The beard is very thick, six long under the throat, continues beyond the chest.
- Compared to the forest counterpart, the steppe is smaller and lighter.
- The highest point of the hump is located at the level of the front legs.
