European bison, the genus Bison of the even-hoofed cattle subfamily, has 3 subspecies differentiation: European lowland bison, Caucasian bison (extinct), hungarian bison (extinct). It is the largest native herbivore in Europe, with a very large body size, adult bulls up to 2.9 meters long, shoulder height 1.8-1.95 meters, weight 600-1000 kg. Its main habitat is open space in deciduous broad-leaved forests and shrublands. It was once widely distributed in Europe. The last remaining wild European bison from overhuring died in the western Caucasus in 1627. In 1951, captive European bison began to be released back into nature.
The head is large and has a broad forehead, the front half of the body is huge, and there is a tumor-like bulge from the shoulder to the front back, like a towering hump. The neck is short and stout, and the thoracic muscles are strong. It has a mane on the forehead and under the neck. Both male and female have upward curved horns, which are thick and sharply curved, and can be used for combat and defense. Body hair is mostly golden brown, dark brown, tan to black. In winter, the coat is dark brown, and in summer, it is lighter and lighter. In spring, the soft fur that grows on the back and lower part of the body falls off. Unlike American bison , they have shorter hairs on the head , neck , and front half.
The European bison is a social animal with mixed herds and bull herds as the two basic units. Mixed herds include cows, young calves aged 2-3 years, cowboys and adult bulls who temporarily join. The average size of the mixed group depends on the environment, and the number of groups averages 8-13 heads. Bulls outside of the mating season form male colonies, and all herds are smaller, averaging 2-11 heads. But about half of the bulls also live alone. Mainly herbivorous, but also eating young shoots and leaves, an adult bull can consume 32 kilograms of food a day. The estrus period is from July to October, and the mating system is polygamous. Bulls in heat are violent and arrogant, and there are often gladiatorial battles for their mates, with the winner gaining the right to mate.