Consumer Information
Is It BUFFALO or BISON?
The North American Buffalo is not a true buffalo. Its closest relative is the European Bison (Wisent) - not the buffalo of Africa or Asia, such as the Cape Buffalo or Water Buffalo. Scientifically, the true name for the North American Buffalo is "Bison" - but because our history has so ingrained in us the name Buffalo, we still use it today. Bison and Buffalo both belong to the Family Bovidae, as do domestic cattle.
Many more products from water buffalo (which are the true buffalo) have recently found their way into the North American markets. This has caused the Bison industry to rethink the term buffalo being applied to our "Bison" products. Therefore, the Bison industry is encouraging all Bison producers and marketers to use the name Bison to avoid confusion with water buffalo. This will help inform the public that Bison is indeed the Buffalo they know and love.
(From : www.americanwest.com)
To learn more about the bison industry or about buffalo check out these great online news sources.
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