Bisonology (BUFFALO) Encore with various bisonologists

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• The terms "bison" and "buffalo" are largely interchangeable when referring to the North American species, though taxonomically, "bison" is preferred by scientists like Dr. Ken Cannon.  Copied to clipboard!
• North American bison evolved from larger Eurasian ancestors, with the modern *Bison bison* species resulting from a size diminution following the retreat of glaciers around 10,000 years ago.  Copied to clipboard!
• The near extinction of bison in the late 1800s was largely driven by the trade in bison robes, and their current conservation status is a significant cultural and social issue, not just a biological one.  Copied to clipboard!
• Bison are incredibly adapted to North American temperature extremes, shedding much of their thick winter fur in the summer, and they face storms by looking into the wind, unlike cows.  Copied to clipboard!
• Bison roam primarily to find nutritious grasses, and their grazing behavior significantly enhances the nutrient content and prolongs the growing season of the plants they consume.  Copied to clipboard!
• Bison possess small rears because their muscular mass is concentrated in their head and shoulder hump, which acts as a wedge to push through snow for foraging.  Copied to clipboard!

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Bison Etymology and Terminology

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(00:01:34)

• Key Takeaway: The word ‘bison’ originates from a Baltic or Slavic word meaning ’the stinking animal’ due to its musk when running.
• Summary: The term ‘bison’ derives from the word ‘huesund,’ meaning the stinking animal, and is distantly related to the word ‘weasel.’ French fur trappers initially called the North American animal ‘buffalo,’ a term derived from an African antelope or European ox.

Introducing the Bisonologists

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(00:02:50)

• Key Takeaway: The episode features four experts: archaeologist Dr. Ken Cannon, ecologist Dr. Dan McNulty, and ranchers Boyd and Lila Evans.
• Summary: Dr. Ken Cannon studies ancient bison and gives talks like ‘Rolling Thunder: 10,000 years of bison in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem.’ Dr. Dan McNulty focuses on modern bison behavior in Yellowstone, having studied animal behavior for years. Boyd and Lila Evans are Blackfeet Tribe members and bison ranchers in Northern Montana.

Archaeologist’s Interest in Bison

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(00:05:04)

• Key Takeaway: Dr. Cannon’s interest in bison began when he found bison bones overwhelmingly present in faunal remains at archaeological sites in Grand Teton National Park.
• Summary: He started studying bison after realizing previous archaeologists minimized their presence despite bison bones dominating archaeological findings in the area. He moved to Yellowstone to better understand this mammal’s role in the North American ecosystem. Traditional Great Plains kill sites often involved running bison over a cliff in the fall when they were fattest and their fur was prime.

Anthropology Career Path

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(00:09:06)

• Key Takeaway: Dr. Cannon shifted from wanting to be a marine biologist to anthropology because the latter allowed him to incorporate biological study within his field.
• Summary: He grew up wanting to be a marine biologist, inspired by Jacques Cousteau, but found his undergraduate biology program geared toward pre-med students. He discovered anthropology at a small program where he could study biology through archaeology. He ended up in Utah after applying for a National Park Service job at Grand Teton National Park as a fluke.

Bison History and Resilience

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(00:11:51)

• Key Takeaway: The bison’s history includes a dark period of near extinction followed by a positive resurrection story driven by the efforts of a small group of people.
• Summary: Bison were historically an important subsistence resource for Native American groups, though this was minimized in early mountain archaeology. The species was reduced from an estimated 30 million to a very low number at the turn of the last century. Their comeback represents a significant cultural and biological success story.

Wildlife Biologist’s Path

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(00:13:12)

• Key Takeaway: Dr. Dan McNulty’s career in wildlife science solidified after observing wildlife biologists working in Yellowstone National Park in 1995.
• Summary: He grew up in various locations, including Hong Kong, before being drawn to open spaces in California. His ‘aha moment’ for pursuing science as a career occurred upon seeing wildlife biologists actively working in Yellowstone. Wolves were the initial focus that ultimately led him into studying bison.

Buffalo vs. Bison Terminology Clarified

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(00:15:34)

• Key Takeaway: While French fur trappers called the animal ‘buffalo,’ the correct scientific term for the North American species is Bison bison.
• Summary: The term ‘buffalo’ etymologically refers to an African antelope or European ox, which was then applied to bison by trappers. Boyd and Lila Evans confirm that for them, there is no difference, and they use either term. The species name is Bison bison, though taxonomy is debated, potentially including Bison bison bison.

Bison Taxonomy and Evolution

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(00:19:22)

• Key Takeaway: Bison originated in Eurasia, migrating to North America about 20 million years ago, and the extinct Bison latifrons featured horns up to 10 feet wide.
• Summary: The taxonomy of modern bison (Bison bison) is debated regarding the transition from the larger Pleistocene species, Bison antiquus, which underwent diminution as the climate changed. Wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) are larger than plains bison and may have adapted longer legs for deeper snow.

Bison Physical Characteristics

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(00:25:06)

• Key Takeaway: A large bull bison can weigh up to 1,200 pounds, and its hump consists of fat and skin covering large spinal processes, storing vital energy.
• Summary: Bison have thick, dense fur, including beards, which insulate them so effectively that snow often remains on their backs without melting in the cold. They communicate using grunts, and their favorite treat is crab apples.

Yellowstone Survivors and Population

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(00:26:49)

• Key Takeaway: The last wild bison in Yellowstone survived in Pelican Valley due to geothermal activity melting snow, providing winter refuge.
• Summary: Most of today’s Yellowstone bison descend from the few dozen survivors found there in the early 20th century. The population has rebounded to about 5,000, which is the highest number since European arrival. Bison census counts are conducted annually via aerial surveys using fixed-wing aircraft.

Bison Social Structure and Movement

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(00:29:45)

• Key Takeaway: Male bison migrate widely, while females stay in cow-calf groups, with the rut occurring in the fall when males compete for access to females.
• Summary: Bison are extremely social and cooperative in defense, unlike elk which form harems. During deep snow, this cooperative defense breaks down, reverting to an every-animal-for-themselves scenario.

Brucellosis and Livestock Conflict

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(00:50:54)

• Key Takeaway: The primary conflict preventing wider bison range expansion is the risk of disease transmission, particularly brucellosis, to domestic cattle, which carries major economic consequences for ranchers.
• Summary: Brucellosis, carried by both elk and bison, causes spontaneous abortion in cattle, leading to state-line sales restrictions for infected livestock. A major myth is that bison are the primary source of transmission; evidence suggests elk are the main vector outside of Yellowstone. Decisions regarding wildlife management are often social and economic, not purely biological.

Bison Ranching and Myths

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(00:54:21)

• Key Takeaway: A significant myth is that bison are farm animals, leading tourists to approach them dangerously, and the fear of brucellosis prevents some Indigenous communities from consuming bison meat.
• Summary: Bison are smarter and more independent than cows, making them harder to raise as livestock. Bison meat is generally leaner than beef, and they are better adapted to the plains ecosystem than cattle. Boyd and Lila noted that myths surrounding brucellosis cause people, even on the reservation, to avoid eating the meat.

Bison Fur and Extreme Weather

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(01:05:10)

• Key Takeaway: Bison shed significant fur in summer to manage heat after relying on thick insulation during extreme cold.
• Summary: Bison thrive in environments ranging from -30 to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit due to their adaptation and ability to shed much of their winter fur. The fur they retain protects them from the elements, including severe cold like -50 degrees Fahrenheit. Bison react to snowstorms by facing into the storm, unlike cows which turn their backs.

Bison Hide Texture and Wallowing

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(01:06:46)

• Key Takeaway: Bison hide is described as a cross between hair and wool, and wallowing is a behavior related to shedding fur, not just emotional disposition.
• Summary: The bison’s fur is characterized as woolly, being more of a cross between hair and wool than just hair. Wallowing is the mechanism by which bison shed their damaged winter coat, rather than being a sign of being ’emo’ or indisposed. The host shared an anecdote where her father mistook the texture of a buffalo hide for her mother’s curly hair.

Reasons for Bison Roaming Behavior

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(01:08:32)

• Key Takeaway: Bison roam constantly to locate fresh, nutritious grasses, acting like large, mobile grazers.
• Summary: Bison are constantly on the move to find good, nutritious grasses to eat, moving on after depleting a patch. Their grazing habits actually change the landscape, causing plants in grazed areas to contain 50 to 90% more nutrients by the end of summer. Losing bison means losing the ecological role they play in shaping springtime environments.

Small Butts and Hump Function

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(01:10:22)

• Key Takeaway: Bison have small rears because muscular energy is invested in the front hump and shoulders for snow foraging.
• Summary: The visual disproportion of small bison butts is explained by the concentration of muscle mass in the front, specifically the hump and shoulder muscles. This powerful front end allows the bison to act as a wedge, pushing aside snow drifts to access forage underneath. This front-loaded musculature prioritizes power for winter survival.

Bison Terminology and Mammoth Relation

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(01:11:09)

• Key Takeaway: Bison are not related to woolly mammoths, despite shared mammal classification, and the term ‘buffalo’ is prevalent due to their iconic status.
• Summary: The term ‘buffalo’ is prevalent in the lexicon likely because the bison is such an iconic species. Bison are not related to woolly mammoths, other than both being mammals. As of 2016, the bison is the official mammal of the United States.

Bison Speed and Startle Encounters

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(01:11:58)

• Key Takeaway: Bison can run up to 30 mph, and their poor eyesight often causes them to startle when encountering unexpected objects or people.
• Summary: Bison can weigh up to 2,000 pounds and run as fast as 30 miles per hour, making them significantly faster than humans. Their eyesight is not great, which can lead to them being startled by sudden appearances, such as an archaeologist popping up from an excavation hole. The best defense against an upset bison is to avoid angering them in the first place.

Bison vs. Cattle Hybridization

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(01:14:10)

• Key Takeaway: Bison and domestic cattle can produce hybrid offspring, historically resulting in issues due to fetal size when using bull bison.
• Summary: Attempts to breed bison and cattle in the late 19th and early 20th centuries resulted in hybrids sometimes called beefalo or catalo. A major issue in these crosses was that the resulting fetuses were often too large, leading to the death of the cow mother. This is compared to breeding a small dog breed mother with a large dog breed father.

Bird Parasite Removal and Lung Structure

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(01:15:49)

• Key Takeaway: Birds like magpies perch on bison to eat external parasites, and bison possess two lungs that share a single lung cavity.
• Summary: Birds associate with bison to forage for parasites such as ticks and flies, which is generally a mutually beneficial relationship. A myth suggests bison only have one lung, but they actually have two lungs sharing one undivided lung cavity. This structural detail may have contributed to the myth, especially among those unfamiliar with Native American hunting techniques.

Grammatical Sentence Structure Explained

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(01:17:22)

• Key Takeaway: The sentence ‘buffalo, buffalo, buffalo, buffalo, buffalo, buffalo, buffalo, buffalo’ is a grammatically correct English sentence using ‘buffalo’ as a noun, a place name, and a verb meaning to bully.
• Summary: The confusing sentence is valid because the word ‘buffalo’ functions as three different parts of speech: the animal, the city of Buffalo, New York, and the verb meaning to bully or confuse. The sentence translates to mean that bison from Buffalo, NY, who are bullied by bison from Buffalo, NY, also bully other bison from Buffalo, NY.

Bison Consumption and Conservation Status

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(01:18:52)

• Key Takeaway: Bison burgers come from commercial herds, not wild conservation herds, and despite historical lows, bison have never been nominated for the Endangered Species List.
• Summary: Bison consumed in restaurants come from large commercial ranches, not the wild conservation herds found in places like Yellowstone or Wind Cave. Wild herds are managed through regulated hunts, such as tribal hunts, rather than being sent to processing plants. Bison are currently considered ’near-threatened’ due to ranching numbers reaching several hundred thousand, even though wild populations remain small.

Yellowstone Management and Culling

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(01:21:15)

• Key Takeaway: Yellowstone’s Interagency Bison Management Plan involves culling to manage herd size due to limited habitat outside park boundaries.
• Summary: The culling of the Yellowstone bison herd is a necessary measure to keep numbers sustainable within the available habitat, especially since unhindered roaming outside the park is restricted. Wildlife in Yellowstone is not free from human interference, and crossing park boundaries often involves human management decisions. This management reflects the historical reality that large mammals in Yellowstone have faced human interaction since European arrival.

Archaeologist Ken’s Job Challenges

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(01:23:07)

• Key Takeaway: The primary difficulty in archaeology research is the constant struggle for funding, which consumes significant time better spent on fieldwork.
• Summary: The most disliked aspect of the archaeologist’s job is the lack of funding and the inordinate amount of time spent begging for money through grant writing. Writing a grant for a small amount takes the same time commitment as writing one for a much larger sum, diverting time from actual research. The work itself is a mix of fieldwork (collecting data, getting dirty) and office work (analyzing data).

Bison Unpredictability and Study Interest

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(01:25:42)

• Key Takeaway: Bison are fascinating subjects because their seemingly predictable presence can suddenly shift to unpredictable migration, keeping researchers engaged.
• Summary: The best part of studying bison is their toughness and their capacity to be surprising; a herd present one year might vanish the next without explanation. This unpredictability keeps them interesting subjects of study, as they can catch researchers off guard. The archaeologist loves the variety in his job, which uses both physical and mental capacities, and where he met his spouse.

Bison Playfulness and White Buffalo

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(01:28:52)

• Key Takeaway: Bison exhibit playful behavior, but attempting to hug one is a bad idea; white buffalo hold significant spiritual importance.
• Summary: Bison are described as playful, often seen chasing and jumping, and they will pose when people stop to watch them. Hugging a bison is strongly advised against due to their size and horns. White buffalo, which are born white or turn white later, represent ‘big medicine’ or a god-like status to the Blackfoot tribe and other tribes.