Bison vs. Buffalo

Main Difference

Bison and Buffaloes are two most confused animals present in the world which are considered as same or regarded as one from the ancient times. In actual Buffalos are way much more different regarding their habitat, living environment, physical shape and characters from a Bison. People living in South and North America surely does not have seen Buffaloes in their lives, and the same goes for the people living in Africa and Asia who haven’t seen a Bison. Bison is a huge grazing herbivore animals which are only found in North and South America and in some parts of Europe too. On the other hand, Buffalo is big black grazing animals with large horns found in the Africa and Asia. Buffaloes by their geographical area possess different characteristics and are categorized as Cape buffalo (Found in Africa) and water buffalo (Found in Asia). Bison belongs to the same species and family to the buffaloes but differs in the genus. Bison is quite different by its weight, physical characters, and shape, etc.

Bison vs. Buffalo — Is There a Difference?
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Difference Between Bison and Buffalo

Bison vs. Buffalo

Bison is grazing herbivore animal found in North and South America and

Bison vs. Buffalo

Buffalo is grazing herbivore animal found in Africa and Asia.

Bison vs. Buffalo

Bison possesses beard, thick fur, and a large hump.

Bison vs. Buffalo

Buffaloes don’t possess beard and hump; they have light fur.

Bison vs. Buffalo

Bison lives in cold and rugged lands.

Bison vs. Buffalo

Buffaloes are used for milk, cattle, and meat.

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Bison vs. Buffalo

Bison is used as meat, for shelter, clothes and making weapons.

Bisonnoun

A wild ox, Bison bonasus.

Buffalonoun

Any of the Old World mammals of the family Bovidae, such as the Cape buffalo, Syncerus caffer, or the water buffalo Bubalus bubalis.

Bisonnoun

A similar American animal, Bison bison else Bos americanus or Bisonte americano.

Buffalonoun

A related North American animal, the American bison, Bison bison.

Bisonnoun

any of several large shaggy-maned humped bovids having large heads and short horns

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Buffalonoun

A buffalo robe.

Buffalonoun

The buffalo fish.

Buffaloverb

(transitive) To hunt buffalo.

Buffaloverb

To outwit, confuse, deceive, or intimidate.

Buffaloverb

To pistol-whip.

Buffalonoun

large shaggy-haired brown bison of North American plains

Buffalonoun

a city on Lake Erie in western New York (near Niagara Falls)

Buffalonoun

meat from an American bison

Buffalonoun

any of several Old World animals resembling oxen including, e.g., water buffalo; Cape buffalo

Buffaloverb

intimidate or overawe

Comparison Chart

Bison Buffalo
Ranges from 700 to 2,200 lb. 2000 lb. for Cape Buffalo and 2640 lb. for Water buffaloes.
Color
Dark brown, brown, Maroon Black, Dull Black
Lifespan
In between 13 to 21 years. 15 to 25 years or Cape and 25 to 30 years of Water.
Shape
Bison is four-footed with a large hump and a gigantic structure. They possess four feet with a massive frame and hump is absent.
Fur
Long thick fur. Very light fur.
Beard
Bison possesses thick beard around the neck. No beard is found in any Buffalos.
Horns
Bison possesses small horns about buffaloes, but they are quite sharp. Their horns are long but not sharp as compared to Bison.
Habitat
Found in plains, cold and rugged lands. Cape buffaloes are found in rocky areas whereas water buffaloes can’t live in such areas.
Food
Hay and Grass Grass
Used for
Clothing, making weapon, shelter, attaining meat, etc. Water buffaloes are used for getting milk, used as cattle, used for meat, etc. Cape was hunted as entertainment but not their meat is used for feeding other animals and hunters etc.
Found In
North America, South America and some part of Europe. Cape Buffaloes found in Africa. Water Buffaloes found in Asia.
Wild
Yes Cape buffaloes are wild whereas water buffaloes are usually domesticated.
Domesticated
No Water Buffaloes are domesticated whereas Cape buffaloes are not.
Total Population
2 Million 160,000 (Cape) and 150 Million Water.
Family
Bovidae Bovidae
Genus
Bison Syncerus (Cape Buffalo) Bubalus (Water Buffalo)
Class
Mammalia Mammalia
Order
Artiodactyla Artiodactyla
Phylum
Chordata Chordata
Kingdom
Animalia Animalia

What is Bison?

Bison is a member of the same family as Buffaloes (Bovidae) and is found in North America, South America and in some parts of Europe. The most population of Bison is found in North and South America. People of South and North America usually does not see buffaloes in their lives as there are no buffaloes they’re other than Africa and Asia. So due to the misconception from the ancient times, people consider Bison as a buffalo and usually regard them as buffaloes, whereas although bison do belong to the same family like buffaloes do, but it is quite different from buffaloes regarding their size, shape, weight, habitat and various other characteristics. Bison is the grazing herbivore animal that is found in the cold and rugged areas of American continents. Bison is usually of brown color. It possesses a thick fur on all over its body which is of light brown color and can be seen from an even long distance. The Bison have thick beard around their neck which grows up larger with their age. The beard is of maroon color and is quite apparent on the brown furred body. All these characters and color combinations are absent in the buffalos. Bison possesses two short horns that are quite sharp in nature and are used for fighting and defense purpose. Bison has a large hump above their head and neck which is quite clear. It is not like the hump that camels do possess but it is yet apparent and give a gigantic shape to the massive structure and frame of bison. Bison is wild in nature and is not tamed or domesticated in usual. They are used for a various purpose which includes meat, shelter and making clothes and even some even.

What is Buffalo?

Buffaloes are grazing herbivore animals found in Africa and Asia. Buffaloes by their geographical area are divided into two basic kinds, Cape buffaloes are found in rugged and rocky areas of Africa and are wild in nature. One the other hand Water buffaloes are found in Asia and are tamed and domesticated. Water Buffaloes are present in most abundance in the world. Water buffaloes are used for milk, used as cattle and used for meat. Buffaloes are black color and do not possess any hump, unlike bison.