Wisent

Scientific classification
Kingdom Information
Domain |  Eukaryota
Kingdom |  Animalia
Subkingdom |  Bilateria
Branch |  Deuterostomia
Phylum Information
Phylum |  Chordata
Sub-phylum |  Vertebrata
Infraphylum |  Gnathostomata
Class Information
Class |  Mammalia
Sub-class |  Theriiformes
Infra-class |  Holotheria
Order Information
Superorder |  Preptotheria
Order |  Artiodactyla
Family Information
Family |  Bovidae
Sub-family |  Bovinae
Genus Information
Genus |  Bison
Species Information
Species |  B. bonasus
Subspecies |  B. b. bonasus
B. b. caucasicus
Population statistics
Population | 1,800 (2006)
Conservation status | Threatened[1]

The wisent or European bison (Bison bonasus), is the largest living land mammal in Europe, and a relative of the American bison. At one time nearly extinct, the wisent has made a small comeback through careful breeding of captive individuals, small reintroductions to the wild, and intensive conservation management.

## Description[edit]

The wisent stands between 5 and 7 feet at the shoulder, and weighs up to 2,000 pounds. Body length is just over 10 feet, excluding the tail. The color of the animal is a uniform brown throughout. The extinct subspecies B. b. caucasicus was slightly smaller, with a warm sepia color to the coat.

The wisent differs from its American relative in having a leaner look; the shoulder hump is less-pronounced, giving the back an almost straight appearance. The tail is longer and hangs down to below the fetlocks, while the body hair is shorter; in the American bison there is a well-defined dark shaggy area forward of the chest, something the wisent lacks.

## References[edit]

1. ↑ http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/2814/0