North America’s largest land mammal

American
Bison

Bison bison

Meet our American bison herd at Plumpton Park Zoo in Rising Sun, Maryland — six animals, including two calves born here in spring 2026.

Plan Your Visit Meet Our Herd

Close view of an American bison at Plumpton Park Zoo

SizeAbout 6 ft tall

Weight1,000–2,000 lb

Lifespan12–20 years

Conservation statusNear Threatened

Meet our herd

Six bison, two new arrivals

Little Bear, Kyra, Tupac, Snow White, Nicholas and Mackenzie call Plumpton Park Zoo home.

American bisonSix residentsTwo 2026 calves

Our herd includes longtime resident Little Bear and two youngsters born at the zoo in 2026.

Nicholas was born on April 27, and Mackenzie followed on May 7. Their father is Tupac. Nicholas’s mother is Kyra.

Snow White is leucistic, so her white coat stands out against the brown coats of the rest of the herd.

For teachers and homeschool families

A free two-page American bison fact sheet with fast facts, words to know, discussion questions and a drawing activity. Teachers may copy and share it freely as long as they credit Plumpton Park Zoo.

Printable Fact Sheet (PDF)

Snow White, a pale leucistic American bison, grazing beside a brown bison at Plumpton Park Zoo — Snow White, our leucistic bison, grazing beside a herd mate. Photo: Plumpton Park Zoo.

Little Bear

Little Bear is a female born at Plumpton Park Zoo on March 15, 2010.

Kyra

Kyra is a female who joined the zoo in April 2023. Her estimated birth year is 2022.

Tupac

Tupac is a male who joined the zoo in December 2024. His estimated birth year is 2023.

Snow White

Snow White is a female born in 2022. She is leucistic: her coat has less pigment than usual, which is why it is white. She joined the zoo in September 2025.

Nicholas

Nicholas is a male calf born at Plumpton Park Zoo on April 27, 2026.

Mackenzie

Mackenzie is a female calf born at Plumpton Park Zoo on May 7, 2026.

Field guide

A giant of the grasslands

The American bison is the largest land mammal in North America, once roaming the continent’s grasslands in herds numbering in the tens of millions before market hunting in the 1800s drove the species to the edge of extinction. Bison are easily recognized by their massive, shaggy-maned heads and shoulders, which taper to smaller, leaner hindquarters, and both males and females grow curved horns.

The high shoulder hump, beard and heavy front half give a bison its unmistakable outline. Its thick coat sheds as warmer weather arrives.

Sources: National Park Service, Yellowstone; National Park Service: bison facts.

American bison resting on the ground at Plumpton Park Zoo

American bison at Plumpton Park Zoo. Photo: Plumpton Park Zoo.

At a glance

American bison fast facts

Scientific nameBison bison

FamilyBovidae

DietHerbivore — grasses and sedges

Native rangeNorth America

WeightAbout 1,000 lbs (females) to 2,000 lbs (males)

Lifespan12 – 20 years in the wild.

Adult males stand about 5½–6 feet high at the shoulder hump.

Sources: National Park Service: bison facts; National Park Service, Yellowstone; IUCN Red List.

2016

The year the bison became America’s national mammal.

An American symbol

A national mammal in Maryland

The bison was named the national mammal of the United States in 2016. A visit to our herd brings that grassland story closer to home in Cecil County.

Sources: National Park Service: bison facts · National Park Service.

Life in a herd

Grazing, gathering and wallowing

Bison have made a real recovery since then, though today’s population remains largely restricted to national parks, reserves, and conservation herds rather than the open range. They’re highly social animals that live in matriarchal herds, and both sexes are known for “wallowing” — rolling in dust or mud to cool off, remove loose fur, and deter biting insects. As grazers, bison also play an important ecological role: their feeding patterns help maintain the health and diversity of prairie grasslands.

Bison together in their habitat at Plumpton Park Zoo. Photo: Plumpton Park Zoo.

Sources: National Park Service, Yellowstone; National Park Service: bison; IUCN Red List.

On the menu

What bison eat

Bison are herbivores, grazing on the grasses and
sedges of the North American prairies.

In snowy conditions, bison can swing their large heads from side to side to uncover vegetation.

Bison grazing at Plumpton Park Zoo. Photo: Plumpton Park Zoo.

Sources: National Park Service, Yellowstone; National Park Service: bison.

Family life

Spring calves

1calf in a typical birth

9½months of gestation

7–8months of nursing

Bison usually give birth to one calf in spring after a pregnancy lasting about nine and a half months. Calves nurse for roughly seven to eight months and are weaned during their first year.

At Plumpton Park Zoo, Nicholas and Mackenzie were both born in spring 2026.

Sources: National Park Service · National Park Service: bison facts.

An adult American bison standing beside a calf at Plumpton Park Zoo

An adult bison and calf at Plumpton Park Zoo. Photo: Plumpton Park Zoo.

Spot the difference

Bison or buffalo?

American bison

A shoulder hump, shaggy beard and relatively short horns. Native to North America.

Water buffalo

Native to Asia, with long, sweeping horns that can form a broad crescent.

Cape buffalo

African buffalo with horns that curl down and then up from a heavy base.

“Buffalo” is a familiar nickname for American bison, but these are different animals.

Sources: National Park Service: bison facts; Animal Diversity Web: African (Cape) buffalo; Animal Diversity Web: water buffalo.

Conservation

A recovery still in progress

NEAR THREATENED

The IUCN Red List lists the American bison as Near Threatened. The assessment was completed in 2016 and published in 2017, with an amended version in 2018.

Bringing bison back from near-extinction did not restore the vast, connected herds of the past. Conservation work continues to protect herds and the grassland habitats they need.

Sources: IUCN Red List; National Park Service, Yellowstone.

Support

Help care for our bison & the animals of Plumpton Park

As a nonprofit zoo, Plumpton Park Zoo relies on admissions, memberships and the generosity of people who believe in what we do. Donations help support animal care, veterinary services, nutritious diets, enrichment, habitat improvements and the continued development of the zoo.

American bison standing in tall green grass at Plumpton Park Zoo — One of our bison in the tall grass. Photo: Plumpton Park Zoo.

Support Our Animals

Plumpton Park Zoological Gardens, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations support the zoo’s charitable mission and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

Questions

Frequently asked questions about bison

How many bison live at Plumpton Park Zoo?

Six: Little Bear, Kyra, Tupac, Snow White, Nicholas and Mackenzie. Nicholas and Mackenzie were born at the zoo in spring 2026.

Are bison and buffalo the same animal?

No. American bison are often called buffalo, but true buffalo include the water buffalo of Asia and the Cape buffalo of Africa. A bison has a large shoulder hump and a shaggy head.

What do American bison eat?

American bison are herbivores. They graze primarily on grasses and sedges.

Why do bison roll in the dirt?

This behavior is called wallowing. Dust and mud help bison care for their coats and deter biting insects.

Are American bison endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies American bison as Near Threatened. Their recovery from near-extinction is an important conservation story, but protected herds and habitat remain important.

Where can I see bison in Maryland?

At Plumpton Park Zoo in Rising Sun, Cecil County, Maryland. See Hours and Tickets for times and admission.

Sources: National Park Service, Yellowstone; National Park Service: bison facts; IUCN Red List.

See our bison at Plumpton Park Zoo

See our American bison up close at Plumpton Park Zoo — plan your visit.

The zoo is in Cecil County, an easy drive from Delaware and southern Pennsylvania. Explore our Arctic wolves and Animal Learning Center, and feed a giraffe.

Hours & Tickets Get Tickets Teacher Fact Sheet (PDF)

AmericanBison