As you probably know, thousands of bison once roamed the plains of North America. In the late 1800s they were almost brought to extinction. Thankfully, due to conservation efforts, bison are back in the United States plains – even if they aren’t nearly as ubiquitous as they once were.

You probably also know that bison are the largest mammals in North America. Male bison (called bulls) can weigh up to 2,000 pounds and stand six feet tall, while females (called cows) weigh up to 1,000 pounds and can reach a height up to five feet. Bison calves weigh 30-70 pounds at birth. These are large and powerful creatures.

But even though bison are formidable, the plains can still be dangerous for them. Their main predators are wolves and mountain lions (what we in the west call cougars), who prey on the weak and the slow – like young bison.

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