Wood Bison
Meet an icon of the North
Wood bison are true giants of the North – with imposing heads, sweeping horns that can exceed half a metre in length, and a pronounced shoulder hump, their presence is unmistakable. These powerful grazers are at home in boreal forests, muskeg swamps, and meadows, but in summer, they will browse in grassland areas. Built for survival in Canada’s harsh northern climate, their thick, woolly coats provide insulation against the code, while their ability to decrease their metabolism allows them to endure winter with minimal food.
- IUCN Red List Status: Near Threatened (likely to become vulnerable in the near future)
- Type: Mammal
- Habitat: British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon, the Northwest Territories
- Diet: Herbivore – grasses, plants, and herbs
- Size: 1.67 to 1.82 metres at the shoulder
- Weight: 350 to 1,000 kilograms
facts about our animals
Fun Facts about Wood Bison
Wood bison can reach speeds of up to 64 kilometres per hour – faster than most cyclists!
They are ruminants, meaning they regurgitate and re-chew their food as cud before digesting it fully.
This species is larger than their plains bison relatives.
For the first three months of their life, calves have a reddish-brown coat before developing the darker fur of adults.
During the breeding season, dominant males form and guard small harems of females.
Females reach sexual maturity at three years old, while males take longer, maturing at around six years old.
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