Today is National Bison Day & it is also National Native American Heritage Month. For thousands of years, Native Americans relied heavily on bison for their survival & well-being, using every part of the bison for food, clothing, shelter, tools, jewelry & in ceremonies. Bison are the largest mammal in North America. Male bison can be up to 6 ft tall and weigh up to 2000 pounds, while female bison can weigh up to 1000! It only takes 2 years for a female bison calf to grow into a mature breeding adult, whereas it takes the male 5 years. In the wild they can live 15 years and in captivity up to 25 years. They can run up to 35 mph and jump as high as 6 ft and can jump 7 ft horizontally.
