American Bison

When I was in Nebraska I thought that it was weird that there were so many wild bison and now you won't see any. This relates to ecology and animal behavior. Before westward expansion 20-30 million bison lived in the American Midwest. Then settlers came and shot many of the bison. Populations declined so much that in 1889 only 1,091 of these fascinating creatures were left. Despite all their troubles, bison are very strong. They are 5 to 6 and a half feet tall and can weigh over a ton. They can run as fast as 40 miles per hour and their curved horns can be up to two feet long. Bison have thick and shaggy coats to withstand cold Midwestern winters. They eat grasses and shrubs and the males and females live in separate groups, that only come together for mating. These groups have become more plentiful, due to conservation efforts. Several hundred thousand bison live in America today. (Claire R)

Sources: 
http://www.defenders.org/bison/basic-facts
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/american-bison/