American Bison (Bison bison) Wyoming - Male in rut - Commonly called buffalo

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American Bison (Bison bison) Wyoming - Male in rut - Commonly called buffalo - Males weigh up to 2000 pounds - Heaviest land mammal in North America - Nearly went extinct by 1894 due to hunting prompting Congress to pass the National Park Protective Act which imposed stiff fines or imprisonment for bison poaching - Mates in the summer - Bull enters the matriarchal herd and displays flehmen and tending behavior -Flehmen consists of curling the lip back and extending the neck and is thought to enhance the sense of smell - Male tends a female by remaining between her and the herd in an attempt to keep the cow isolated - Males threaten and can battle other contenders which can result in butting and horn locking

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Size: 3744px × 5616px
Location: Wyoming USA
Photo credit: © John Cancalosi / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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