Bison

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Bison bison 
Endangered 

     Nobody knows how many bison inhabited North America before the coming of the Europeans. Most estimates range between 50 to 100 million animals. They were, however, the economic cornerstone of the Native peoples of the plains who utilized almost every part of the animal to provide food, shelter, weapons, utensils, and ornamentation. 
     A large bull may stand 2 m high at the shoulder and weigh 910 kg. Among the predators, only the grizzly bear is strong enough to kill an adult bull. Bison are equipped with a keen sense of smell which is capable of detecting odours up to a mile away. They also have excellent eyesight and are quite at ease in the water. They have been known to live for up to 40 years.