Life expectancy: In 2018, the life expectancy for a wood buffalo was 74.7 years!

What do they look like?

The buffalo is the largest animal natural to Canada. They have a large shoulder hump that is covered with shaggy brown fur. A long brown mane on their head all the way down to their shoulders with short brown fur along the backside. The buffalo also has short, curved horns and hooves. The male buffaloes are larger than the females and can weigh anywhere between 350 to 1000 kg if it is a Wood Bison. Plains Bison males weigh around 600 to 860 kg. Bison often travel together in large groups of 15-20.

Habitat:

The buffalo roamed all over North America. Possibly in your school yard! Now, they can mostly be found in some Alberta provincial parks where they are able to be protected.

What do they eat for food?

Buffaloes are herbivores who can live off grasses, forbs, and sedges.

Indigenous connection:

The buffalo played a huge part in survival for Indigenous people. At the end of the 19^th century, both wood and plains bison were almost extinct due to widespread market hunting. This was a devastation to the Indigenous communities who lived in harmony with the buffaloes for centuries before European settlers. The buffalo still plays a huge role in the lives of Indigenous people to this day. Patricia Piche is an Indigenous designer from the Cold Lake First Nation, and the importance of the buffalo is seen throughout her designs

Sources: https://naturecanada.ca/news/blog/get-to-know-canadas-buffalo/

https://albertawilderness.ca/issues/wildlife/bison/

https://regionaldashboard.alberta.ca/region/wood-buffalo/life-expectancy/#/?from=2014&to=2018