Bison are large, even-toed ungulates in the genus Bison within the subfamily Bovinae.
Two extant and six extinct species are recognised. Of the six extinct species, five became extinct in the Quaternary extinction event. Bison palaeosinensis evolved in the Early Pleistocene in South Asia, and was the evolutionary ancestor of B. priscus (steppe bison), which was the ancestor of all other Bison species. From 2 million years ago to 6,000 BC, steppe bison ranged across the mammoth steppe, inhabiting Europe and northern Asia with B. schoetensacki (woodland bison), and North America with B. antiquus, B. latifrons, and B. occidentalis. The last species to go extinct, B. occidentalis, was succeeded at 3,000 BC by B. bison.
The American bison and the European bison (wisent) are the largest surviving terrestrial animals in North America and Europe. They are typical artiodactyl (cloven hooved) ungulates, and are similar in appearance to other bovines such as cattle and true buffalo. They are broad and muscular with shaggy coats of long hair. Adults grow up to 2 metres (6 feet 7 inches) in height and 3.5 m (11 ft 6 in) in length for American bison[4][5] and up to 2.1 m (6 ft 11 in) in height[6] and 2.9 m (9 ft 6 in) in length for European bison.[7] American bison can weigh from around 400 to 1,270 kilograms (880 to 2,800 pounds)[5][8] and European bison can weigh from 800 to 1,000 kg (1,800 to 2,200 lb).[7] European bison tend to be taller than American bison.
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