Bison at Herberstein Wildlife Park

Powerhouses with a peaceful demeanor

Our small herd of bison looks peaceful as it lies in the meadow, chewing its cud. However, when you see the bull up close—with a shoulder height of 1.90 meters and weighing one metric ton—he has a menacing presence. He can run at speeds of up to 50 km/h and charge at you with lightning speed, goring you with his horns. During the mating season, the bulls fight to the death in this manner. The bison—often mistakenly referred to as “buffalo”—was the lifeblood of the North American Plains Indians.

Did you know?

Around 1700, there were about 60 million bison. After the arrival of white settlers and due to heavy hunting by them, their numbers had dropped to fewer than 900 by the end of the 19th century! They were saved when Yellowstone National Park was established in 1872.