What's the difference between buffalo and bison?

The document clarifies that while bison and buffalo both belong to the Bovidae family, they are distinct animals found in different regions. Bison are native to North America and Europe, characterized by shoulder humps and beards, while buffalo are native to Asia and Africa, featuring smoother backs and different horn structures. It details the two bison species (American and European) and two buffalo species (water and African), noting their specific physical traits, habitats, and domestication histories.

• Bison and buffalo are distinct animals within the Bovidae family separated by geography: bison inhabit North America and Europe, whereas buffalo are found in Asia and Africa.
• Physical differences distinguish the two groups: bison possess large shoulder humps, massive heads, chin beards, and short curved horns, while buffalo have smoother backs, smaller heads without beards, and longer horns.
• There are two bison species: the American bison (Bison bison), which includes the Plains bison and the larger Wood bison, and the European bison (Bison bonasus), also known as the wisent.
• European bison were declared extinct in the wild by 1927 but were successfully reintroduced by 1952 after being rebuilt from a captive population of 12 animals.
• Buffalo consist of two main species: the water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) of Asia, which includes domesticated populations, and the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) of sub-Saharan Africa, which has never been domesticated.

APA

WWF International (n.d.). What's the difference between buffalo and bison? https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/explainers/bison-vs-buffalo/

Chicago

WWF International. What's the difference between buffalo and bison? n.d. https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/explainers/bison-vs-buffalo/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=What's the difference between buffalo and bison? |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/explainers/bison-vs-buffalo/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternationalndwhats, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{What's the difference between buffalo and bison?}}, institution = {WWF International}, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/explainers/bison-vs-buffalo/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }