FUN FACTS

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• Our bison are descendants from a Montana herd.

• We have had bison at Harding Farm since 2013. 

• In May of 2016, Congress declared the bison, the official mammal of the United States. 

• "Bison" is a Greek word meaning ox-like animal, while "buffalo" originated with the French fur trappers who called these massive beasts bœufs, meaning ox or bullock

• Male bison (called bulls) weigh up to 2,000 pounds and stand 6 feet tall, while females (called cows) weigh up to 1,000 pounds. 

• Bison calves are called "Red Dogs" because of their red color.  

• A bison can run up to 35 MPH

• The average lifespan of a bison is between 10-20 years.

• ​An estimated 20 to 30 million bison once dominated the North American landscape from the Appalachians to the Rockies, from the Gulf Coast to Alaska. Habitat loss and unregulated shooting reduced the population to just 1,091 by 1889. Today, approximately 500,000 bison live across North America.