BGuthrie Photos: DC -- Natl Zoological Park -- American BisonDC -- Natl Zoological Park -- American Bison:
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Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
SINZBI_210804_04.JPG: The following pictures are from the page 2021_DC_SINZ_Bison DC -- Natl Zoological Park -- American Bison (1 photo from 2021) American Bison
SINZBI_190607_01.JPG: The following pictures are from the page 2019_DC_SINZ_Bison DC -- Natl Zoological Park -- American Bison (16 photos from 2019)
SINZBI_190607_11.JPG: American Bison
Bos bison
No one knows just how big a single bison herd used to be, but estimates are anywhere from 4-12 million individuals.
SINZBI_190607_15.JPG: What's the Big Deal about Bison?
The bison effect
Bison eat grasses -- lots and lots of grasses. As bison munch their way across grasslands, they create habitat for other animals. Birds nest where bison have grazed and hunt insects among the exposed grasses. Prairie dogs build colonies where bison have cut down grasses. Black-footed ferrets then come in search of the prairie dogs, their favorite prey.
SINZBI_190607_18.JPG: Bison have a big impact on the landscape.
SINZBI_190607_20.JPG: Giving a helping "hoof" to the little guys
SINZBI_190607_22.JPG: Are They Bison or Buffalo?
Depends on whom you ask. Scientifically, American bison are not buffalo; true "buffalo" are only found in Africa. Culturally, the names bison and buffalo are both correct. When European explorers first came to North America, they called the giant creatures a variety of names -- including bisonte, buffes and buffles. As our culture developed, the name buffalo stuck. Today, both names are accepted.
SINZBI_190607_27.JPG: And Then There Were (Almost) None
How many bison once roamed North America?
A good estimate is that roughly 30 million bison once roamed the grasslands of North America. To the explorers Lewis and Clark, the herds "darkened the whole plains." What happened? People. Massive hunting campaigns brought an end to the seemingly endless herds. Growth of farming and ranching and severe drought caused even more loss.
SINZBI_190607_30.JPG: A "bullish" economy
Bison were a staple of the economy in the 1800s. As Americans became more industrial, the need for machine belts made from hides grew and grew. Sport-hunting also became the rage. Railroad companies offered tourists a chance to shoot bison from the coaches; one record-setting rider killed as many as 120 animals in 40 minutes. Within 50 years, the great herds were gone.
SINZBI_190607_33.JPG: Pile of bison skulls (c. 1870)
SINZBI_190607_38.JPG: Time to stop "bullying" around!
By the late 1800s, about 325 wild bison were left. Congress began to take action to protect the remaining bison, and private ranchers started to create small herds. Slowly, the population crept up thanks to legal protection, refuges and breeding programs. Today about 30,000 bison live in conservation herds and hundreds of thousands live on private ranches. Efforts to bring back massive herds will take time, land an a strong commitment to the recovery of this treasured animal.
SINZBI_190607_40.JPG: Bison and the National Zoo
From collector to conservationist
A park becomes a zoo.
SINZBI_190607_49.JPG: Bison and the Land
Bison were a means to an end.
SINZBI_190607_51.JPG: Working together to save a species
SINZBI_190607_57.JPG: Helping the animals helps the land.
SINZBI_160527_06.JPG: The following pictures are from the page 2016_DC_SINZ_Bison DC -- Natl Zoological Park -- American Bison (4 photos from 2016) Are They Bison or Buffalo?
Depends on whom you ask. Scientifically, American bison are not buffalo; true "buffalo" are only found in Africa. Culturally, the names bison and buffalo are both correct. When European explorers first came to North America, they called the giant creatures a variety of names -- including bisonte, buffes, and buffies. As our culture developed, the name buffalo stuck. Today, both names are accepted.
SINZBI_160527_22.JPG: American Bison
No one knows just how big a single bison herd used to be, but estimates are anywhere from 4-12 million individuals.
Bison are highly social animals, today living in herds of thousands. Adult males, called bulls, are more solitary and join herds during the breeding season. Female bison -- cows -- typically give birth to one calf a year. Bison calves have reddish hair at birth; the dark brown hair doesn't fully emerge until they are about four months old.
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Description of Subject Matter: American Bison
August 30, 2014 – Permanent
See American bison—the animal that inspired the founding of the National Zoo. Learn about the significant role bison played in our nation's history and the efforts taken to bring the species back from the brink of extinction.
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