" Bison are the largest land mammal in North America. There are two subspecies of American bison, the plains and woods bison, though the plains bison is more numerous and well-known. The European bison, a separate species, is similar, but has longer legs and a less hairy body. History: Bison are also popularly known as buffalo, though they are not closely related to the buffaloes of Asia and Africa. There are two types of currently living bison: the American bison and the European bison (or wisent). Scientific Name: Bison bison bison Characteristics: The bison is the largest mammal on the North American continent, so it's a perfect fit for our Wild Wildlife line. This hand-painted bison toy figure is packed with accurate details, including a heavy coat on its head and the front of its body, and a shorter coat on the rear half. Size: This bison toy figure is 8 ¼ inches long and 4¾ inches tall.