Difference Wiki

Bison vs. Buffalo

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.

Key Differences

Bison possesses beard, thick fur, and a large hump.
Buffalo is grazing herbivore animal found in Africa and Asia.
Buffaloes don’t possess beard and hump; they have light fur.
Harlon Moss
Jul 01, 2017
Bison lives in cold and rugged lands.
Bison is used as meat, for shelter, clothes and making weapons.
Harlon Moss
Jul 01, 2017
Bison is grazing herbivore animal found in North and South America and
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Buffaloes are used for milk, cattle, and meat.
Samantha Walker
Jul 01, 2017

Comparison Chart

.

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.
Aimie Carlson
Jul 01, 2017

Fur

Long thick fur.
Very light fur.
Janet White
Jul 01, 2017
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Beard

Bison possesses thick beard around the neck.
No beard is found in any Buffalos.
Harlon Moss
Jul 01, 2017

Horns

Bison possesses small horns about buffaloes, but they are quite sharp.
Their horns are long but not sharp as compared to Bison.
Janet White
Jul 01, 2017

Habitat

Found in plains, cold and rugged lands.
Cape buffaloes are found in rocky areas whereas water buffaloes can’t live in such areas.
Samantha Walker
Jul 01, 2017

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.
Janet White
Jul 01, 2017

Found In

North America, South America and some part of Europe.
Cape Buffaloes found in Africa. Water Buffaloes found in Asia.
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Wild

Yes
Cape buffaloes are wild whereas water buffaloes are usually domesticated.

Domesticated

No
Water Buffaloes are domesticated whereas Cape buffaloes are not.
Samantha Walker
Jul 01, 2017

Total Population

2 Million
160,000 (Cape) and 150 Million Water.

Family

Bovidae
Bovidae
Samantha Walker
Jul 01, 2017

Genus

Bison
Syncerus (Cape Buffalo) Bubalus (Water Buffalo)
Aimie Carlson
Jul 01, 2017

Class

Mammalia
Mammalia
Janet White
Jul 01, 2017

Order

Artiodactyla
Artiodactyla
Samantha Walker
Jul 01, 2017

Phylum

Chordata
Chordata

Kingdom

Animalia
Animalia

Bison and Buffalo Definitions

Bison

A bovine mammal (Bison bison) of western North America, having large forequarters, a shaggy mane, and a massive head with short curved horns; a buffalo.

Buffalo

Any of several large African and Asian ruminant mammals of the family Bovidae, such as the water buffalo and the African buffalo.

Bison

A bovine mammal (Bison bonasus) of Europe, similar to the American bison but with a somewhat smaller head and longer horns; a wisent.

Buffalo

The American bison (Bison bison).

Bison

The flesh of the American bison, used as food.

Buffalo

The flesh of the American bison, used as food.

Bison

A large, wild bovid of the genus Bison.

Buffalo

Any of several North American suckers of the genus Ictiobus, having a dark body and an arched back. Also called buffalo fish.

Bison

The aurochs or European bison.

Buffalo

To intimidate or frighten, as by a display of authority
“The board couldn't buffalo the federal courts as it had the Comptroller” (American Banker).

Bison

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

Buffalo

To confuse or deceive
“Too often ... job seekers have buffaloed lenders as to their competency and training” (H. Jane Lehman).

Buffalo

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

Buffalo

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

Buffalo

Ellipsis of buffalo robe

Buffalo

The buffalo fish (Ictiobus spp.).

Buffalo

A nickel.

Buffalo

(transitive) To hunt buffalo.

Buffalo

To outwit, confuse, deceive, or intimidate.

Buffalo

To pistol-whip.

Buffalo

A species of the genus Bos or Bubalus (Bubalus bubalus), originally from India, but now found in most of the warmer countries of the eastern continent. It is larger and less docile than the common ox, and is fond of marshy places and rivers.

Buffalo

A very large and savage species of the same genus (Syncerus Caffer syn. Bubalus Caffer) found in South Africa; - called also Cape buffalo.

Buffalo

Any species of wild ox.

Buffalo

The bison of North America.

Buffalo

A buffalo robe. See Buffalo robe, below.

Buffalo

The buffalo fish. See Buffalofish, below.

Buffalo

Large shaggy-haired brown bison of North American plains

Buffalo

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

Buffalo

Meat from an American bison

Buffalo

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

Buffalo

Intimidate or overawe

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.

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