wood bison

The wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) is a subspecies of American bison native to northern Canada. It is the larger of the two American bison subspecies, with males reaching up to 6.5 feet (2 meters) at the shoulder and weighing over 1,980 pounds (900 kg). Wood bison are characterized by their dark brown, shaggy fur, a pronounced hump over their shoulders, and short, curved horns.12

These large grazing mammals inhabit forests and plains and are found in protected areas like Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada, which was established to conserve remaining bison herds. The wood bison is considered a threatened subspecies in Canada and Alaska.23