Bison Skin
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae
Subfamily: Bovinae
Genus: Bison
Specimen Description
Bison has a thick, brown coat. The skin is covered with hairs that provides insulation from the cold and moist weather. During the winter It prevents melting of the snow and soaking of the skin. The thick hide is one of the major factor that kept the bison alive during the harsh winters. Newborn bison calves have a reddish, light brown coat and lack the distinctive hump of the adult bison. They begin turning brown and developing the hump after a few months. Bison is hunted for it’s meat and hide, now the group is listed under the endangered species of the world.
About the Animal
The bison was once the symbol of the Great Plains. Vast herds roamed from Canada to Mexico providing food, clothing, and tools to the native people. From a population that numbered in the millions, bison dwindled to near extinction, driven there by settlers. The bison is more closely related to cows and goats. Male bison are slightly larger than females. But both the male and female bison have a sizeable head with small curved horns and a scraggly beard. Bison are herbivores, feeding on the grasses of the prairie land all year round. They will generally rest during the day and graze in the mornings and evenings. Bison also need to find water every day.
Reference:
http://www.softschools.com/facts/animals/bison_facts/258