What's the difference between a buffalo and a bison?

Answer 1

you cant wash your hands in a buffalo

Answer 2

Technically, a bison (Bison bison) is the type of hebivorous hoofed animal of the Bovine family found in the US, Europe and a few other areas but a bufflalo is anatomically different. Bison have a well developed hump over the sholders but bufflao lack that. Bison have fairly thick coats but buffalo Bubalus bubalus) have little hair (except as juveniles) and either take mud baths or dust baths to protect their skin from sun burn. Bison horns are relatively small compared to buffalo that can reach five feet or more from tip to tip. Most buffalo can be domesticated (except for the Cape Buffalo of Southern Africa which is a very dangerous animal) but bison do not even tame well. In Asia, the buffalo apparently has evolved into a few different races, perhaps even species, the Chinese buffalo has a shorter horn span, and progressively from GuangXi Province to Vietnam, the horn span increases. Buffalo in Taiwan are a mix of the Filipino long horned variety and the Chinese variety with the later being found close to TaiPei and the former in the southern areas of the island. The ones that were introduced into Australia are the long-horned variety. Buffaloes never became a work animal in America because initially it was easily to transport slaves and then the industrial revolution removed the need for work animals. They are widely used in Asia because farms are to small to justify the expensive machinery. With the Hmongs, in Laos, a buffalo was valued highly and represented substantial wealth. A few wild gaur still exist...they are a type of buffalo standing about 6 feet at the shoulder and it is rare to see them in the wild. I have only seen two, both of which were north of Cheng Mai, Thailand. And to counter the ridiculous answers, A water buffalo is a tanker trailer used by the army to transport water and you can certain wash your whole body in it.

Answer 3

Wait till you meet an old bull in the African scrub and you will soon know the difference. Buffalo have large, bull like, horns and have a hid that appears to be smooth to the eye. Dark black to grey in colour and found on most of the continents, not just Africa. There are many different species of Buffalo. Where as Bison are usually only found in the Americas, have a brown coat that can appear hairy, horns are much smaller and have a distinctive humped back.

Answer 4

Bison is the proper name for the largest mammal in North America, commonly known as the American Buffalo. A completely unrelated mammal, the buffalo, is found only in Africa and southeast Asia. Those animals are known as Cape Buffalo, in Africa, and the water buffalo in southeast Asia.

Answer 5

There is no difference. Bison is the scientific name and it's really bison-bison; but we all know the common name as buffalo. It's sort of like comparing canine to dog, or feline to cat (does that make sense?).

Answer 6

It's a difference of "register". "Buffalo" is the word that we use everyday in common parlance. "Bison" is a scientific name of the creature, and is usually only used in more formal/scientific settings. As far as I know they are two names for the same animal.

Answer 7

The buffalo is found in Asia, mainly in India, shorthaired, very long horned and very aggresive in wild stage; bison is the wooly shy cow almost hornless that roams(ed) North America, and there was other species in Europe.

Answer 8

You cant wash your hands in a buffalo

Answer 9

Can't wash your hands in a buffalo.

Answer 10

You can wash your hands in a bison!!!