Stoic, regal and formidable in both size and strength, the bison has long epitomized the American West. From Native American spiritual figure to abused resource to powerful symbol of wildlife preservation, the bison is a microcosm of the West itself, and in this book, renowned zoologist Desmond Morris tells its fascinating story from the first evidence of its fossil record two million years ago to today.
Exploring the evolution and habitat of the two remaining species – the European wisent and the American bison – this book shows that, while generally seen as gentle and calm, bison in fact are very unpredictable, liable to attack at any moment. Bison once ranged across the Great Plains of North America in vast herds, and at the beginning of the nineteenth century they numbered in the tens of millions. Humans were responsible for the bison’s near extinction in North America, slaughtering an estimated 50 million and reducing the bison population to less than 1,000 by 1890. However, more recent efforts at bringing them back have succeeded to the point that their domestically raised meat has now become a popular alternative to beef in the U.S. Throughout Bison, natural history is balanced with cultural history: the lore of the bison and the spirit of the West. The result is an absorbing story of one of the most majestic creatures to walk the earth.