The bison, mythical animal par excellence in North America, ruled over the continent's broad expanses.

Bison belong to the Artiodactyla order, to the Ruminantia suborder, to the Bovidae family, to the Bovini tribe and to the Bison genus. There are 2 species in its genus: the American bison (bison bison) and the European bison (bison bonasus). In America, there are 2 subspecies: the plains bison (bison bison bison) and the wood bison (bison bison athabascae). There are also two subspecies in Europe: the lowland bison (bison bonasus bonasus) and the Caucasus bison (bison bonasus caucasicus). The Caucasus subspecies became extinct in 1925.

The Wisconsin Glacial Stage (12500 - 10000 B.C.) at the end of the Pleistocene era caused the formation of an ice bridge between Alaska and Siberia. Man entered America this way as did the European and Asian bison (bison occidentalis).

 
However, 300,000 years before, the steppe bison (bison priscus) lived throughout Siberia, and in the northern part of America. These territories formed a whole during the glacial period which allowed for easy movements within these vast areas. Under the pressure of the great predators present at that time in America, the steppe bison evolved toward a colossal species (bison latifrons). Then, under the effect of environmental conditions, a smaller form appeared: the bison antiquus.


BISON LATIFRONS - Royal Museum