is there a difference between the buffalo and the bison?
or are the terms interchangeable?
or both?
2006-11-19 09:58:46 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
People use the words interchangably but they are not correct. A bison is technically a species, usually an American Bison, sometimes called American Buffalo. There are many species of Buffalo, or which a bison is not even one of. Though both bison and buffalo are both bovines, or cows, they belong to their own genus.
Bison, and Buffalo, have their own genus, contianing different species. There are also species like African Buffalo, or Water Buffalo.
2006-11-19 10:03:10 · answer #1 · answered by ladyelfoftherings 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
A bison and a buffalo are not the same thing. And even though used interchangeably, they should not be. The animal that is native to North America is the American Bison, not buffalo. There are other species that are called buffalo such as the Water Buffalo in Africa. And even though both are bovine, they branch off from each other genetically.
2006-11-19 13:02:35 · answer #2 · answered by Scarabia 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
From the dictionary with two definitions of the word buffalo:
"1. a. Any of several oxlike Old World mammals of the family Bovidae, such as the water buffalo and African buffalo.
1. b. The North American bison, Bison bison."
And the word bison:
" 1. A bovine mammal (Bison bison) of western North America, having large forequarters, a shaggy mane, and a massive head with short curved horns; a buffalo.
2. An animal (B. bonasus) of Europe, similar to but somewhat smaller than the bison; a wisent."
2006-11-19 12:28:45 · answer #3 · answered by Professor Armitage 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The American bison and the American buffalo are the same animal. However, the term "buffalo" is also used for a couple of other animals, like the water buffalo or cape buffalo from Africa.
2006-11-19 13:13:51 · answer #4 · answered by PaulCyp 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Bison is cow and Bison combined a cow and a bison mated equals a bison easy?? Yes. But they are completley different in looks not that much but other things yes.
2006-11-19 10:07:13 · answer #5 · answered by Maccabee 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
bisons are related to buffalos but not the same
2006-11-19 10:00:40 · answer #6 · answered by genji 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
bison yummy
2006-11-19 10:00:15 · answer #7 · answered by davey 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Interchangeable.
Peace
2006-11-19 10:00:44 · answer #8 · answered by James S 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i'm pretty sure that they are basically the same term
2006-11-19 10:00:12 · answer #9 · answered by Brandon C 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they both taste good
2006-11-19 10:00:05 · answer #10 · answered by voodomd 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋