Plains Bison at the Hagenbeck Zoo, Hamburg (Germany)

The Plains Bison (Bison bison bison) is one of two subspecies/ecotypes of the American Bison, the other being the Wood Bison. A natural population of Plains Bison survives in Yellowstone National Park and multiple smaller reintroduced herds of bison in many places in the United States as well as southern portions of the Canadian Prairies. The colour of the bison fur varies in the front and back of its body and is different shades of brown. Bison is hunchbacked and it has a long beard on its chin. The forehead is wide and narrow while the neck is short. Hind legs are smaller than front legs, making up a scarp from humpback to tail. Length of hair differs in front and rear, especially in males: front hair is significantly longer than rear hair. Horns of bison are black, bent inward withal upward, and pointed. Male bison are significantly larger and heavier than females. Plains Bison are often in the smaller range of sizes, and Wood Bison in the larger range. Bison are herbivores and, more specifically, grazers, chewing grass all year round. However, in absence of grass, they eat other greenery found in the area such as sagebrush. The presence of water is another important component of their life: they can’t last long without a source of water. Their average lifespan is 15 to 20 years.

The Hagenbeck Zoo (Tierpark Hagenbeck) is a zoo in Stellingen, Hamburg, Germany. The collection began in 1863 with animals that belonged to Carl Hagenbeck Sr. (1810–1887), a fishmonger who became an amateur animal collector. The park itself was founded by Carl Hagenbeck Jr. (1844–1913) in 1907 and it is still operated and owned by the Hagenbeck family today. It is known for being the first zoo to use open enclosures surrounded by moats, rather than barred cages, to better approximate animals' natural environments. Over the years, the zoo has gained a good reputation for successfully breeding rare and endangered species such as the Asian Elephant and the Siberian Tiger.