Animal Heavenly Body – World Encyclopedia of Animals Vol.4 American Bison | Figure

IUCN · NEAR THREATENED · national mammal of the USA

One Statue. Two Habitats.

The head attaches to the plaque with a hidden magnet — lift it off whenever you like.

On the shelf: Trophy Hall

Mounted on its wood-grain shield plaque with a brass-style nameplate, it reads like a natural-history-museum exhibit — shrunk to the size of your palm.

Off the plaque: Fridge Guardian

Off the plaque, the bison’s shaggy, horned head brings a piece of the American frontier to any magnetic surface.

From Millions to Hundreds

Tens of millions of bison once moved across North America. Commercial hunting in the 1800s cut that number to fewer than a thousand. A handful of ranchers, Indigenous nations and the young Yellowstone National Park kept the last herds alive.

The Wood Bison

The northern subspecies on this nameplate lives in the boreal forests and meadows of Canada. In 2015, wood bison were released into the wild in Alaska, returning to land they had been missing from for about a century.

Built Like a Snowplow

That massive head and shoulder hump are packed with muscle. In winter, a bison swings its head side to side to sweep deep snow off the grass beneath, which is why it faces into blizzards rather than away from them.

Faster Than It Looks

For all its bulk, a bison can gallop at about 35 mph, turn quickly and clear a fence. Visitors to national parks are reminded every year to keep their distance.