Yak vs Bison: Whats the Difference?
As a Whole bison are larger than yaks. Sexually mature male bison weigh anywhere from 1,100 to 2,000 pounds, with a body length of 10′-12′. Females weigh 700 to 1,200 pounds, and have a Body Length of 7′-10′, Yaks are Smaller Males are typically 700-1300lbs, and Females 500-700lbs
Difference between a Bison and a Yak – Fossil records of eastern Russia indicate yaks lived in that region thousands of years ago, leading paleontologists to believe that yak-like ancestors of the American bison crossed over the Siberian land bridge and migrated to North America. Both are bovines belonging to the scientific family Bovidae. But that is where the classification similarities end. Yaks are of the Bos genus. Bison are their own genus. Yak vs Bison
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There are the following differences.
| Bison | Yak |
| 1. Bison live in North America and Europe: Centuries ago, American bison lived on the central plains of North America extending from the Gulf of Mexico in the United States to the plains of interior Canada. Today, small wild herds live in national parks such as Yellowstone in Wyoming, the National Bison Range in Montana, and Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada’s Northwest Territory. | Yaks live in Asia: The Tibetan plateau- a high altitude arid steppe four times the size of France in Central Asia, with parts of China, Nepal, and Tibet within its borders is the home for yaks. While some of the plateau itself is flat, it’s surrounded by large mountain ranges such as the Himalayas to the south and the Kunlun Range to the North. Its average elevation is 14,800 feet above sea level where herds of wild yaks are frequently found. Yaks are also found in mountainous regions of Mongolia and Russia. |
| 2. Bison is a domesticated and wild animal: Bison is a domesticated animal and is kept for meat production. Bison are also wild animals and are hunted for sports purposes. As American settlers moved westward, large roaming herds of bison were viewed as easy targets. While a small portion of this hunting was for food, the bulk of it was unbridled sport hunting encouraged by the U.S. government as a way to starve out native peoples not willing to give up their territory. Hunting from the comfort of moving trains, sportsmen left tens of thousands of carcasses to rot on the plains. What was once estimated to herd totaling 50 million bison roaming the North American plain dwindled to fewer than 1000 before conservation efforts were put in place. | Yaks are wild animals and sometimes domesticated: Wild yak herds were nearly decimated by Chinese hunters also not adhering to the “take only what you need” principle. In January 2013, an American and Chinese conservation research team visited the remote Hoh Xil nature reserve, which is about the size of West Virginia, and counted nearly 1000 wild yaks, giving hope that the population is rebounding. |
| 3. Bison does not make friendly relationship: Bison is not docile animal and they do not enjoy relationship with human. They don’t feel comfortable. Bison can be trained to respond to captive conditions as beef cattle do eating from the feeder, being herded through lots and pens. However, they retain the bulk of their natural tendencies especially the fight and flight instinct, and are highly unpredictable. | Yaks make friendly relationships with humans: Yaks are relatively docile especially when raised by humans by birth. They are easy to train for pulling carts and plows and are often treated in the same way European and American handle horses. They do not retain their natural tendencies especially the fight and flight. |
| 4. Physical appearance: General description: A large-headed, massive, tall but narrow-bodied bovid with a pronounced shoulder hump, short and robust legs, brown hair with a black nose, lips, tongue, hooves, and horns. Horns: Arch backward and upwards with the point aimed somewhat inwards.Weight: Male weight about 1221-2000 lb. female weight about 701-1202 lb.Body length: the male has 10-12 ft and the female has 7-10.4 ft. | Physical appearance: General description: long-haired, short-legged ox-like mammal. Yaks are heavily fringed with long black hair over a shorter blackish or brown undercoat that can keep them warm to -40 degrees C. color is more variable and white splotches are common. Horns: Horns are 80cm long in males and 50cm in females.Weight: Male weight about 772-1290 lb. female weight about 496-562 lb. Body length: has 8.2 to 11ft. |
| 5. Mating season: Female bison are ready to mate when they are two to three years old. Males are not ready to mate until they are about six. The mating season begins in July and can run through September. When the mating season begins, male bison move into female groups and select a female. They then tend the female. Males tend a female by staying between her and the rest of the herd. Tending can last for a few minutes or for several days. If a female isn’t interested in males, she will walk away. Males will threaten and sometimes attack other males that try to get too close to a female he is tending. Fight between males can involve headbutting, shoving, or locking horns. | Mating season: For most of the year, male and female wild yaks spend their time in separate herds. While females and male young usually stay in large herds, males tend to either spend their time alone or in small groups. During the mating season, males leave their groups and join with the female herds. Males compete for access to receptive females, often violently. Mating season starts in September, with births usually occurring in June. Yak becomes mature at the age of 6-8 years for females and males also. |
Difference between Bison and Moose:
| Bison | Moose |
| 1. Bison live in North America and Europe: Centuries ago, American bison lived on the central plains of North America extending from the Gulf of Mexico in the United State to the plains of interior Canada.Today, small wild herd live in national parks such as Yellowstone in Wyoming, the National Bison Range in Montana and Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada’s Northwest Territory. | Moose live in North America and close relative live in northern Europe and Asia: The moose is the largest member of the deer family and the tallest mammal in North America.In North America, the moose is found in Alaska, Canada, the northeastern United States, and as far south as the rocky mountain in Colorado.A close relative of the moose, the Eurasian Elk is found in northern Europe and Asia.The moose lives in forested areas where there is snow cover in the winter and nearby lakes, bogs, swamps, streams and ponds.The moose’s large size makes survival in warm climates difficult, and they have difficult when temperatures rise above 80 degree Fahrenheit. In the summer they cool off in the water. |
| 2. Hunting is for enjoyment: Bison is domesticated animals and are kept for meat production. Bison are also wild animals and are hunted for sport purpose. As American settlers moved westward, large roaming herds of bison were viewed as easy targets. While a small portion of this hunting was for food, the bulk of it was unbridled sport hunting encouraged by the U.S. government as a way to starve out native peoples not willing to give up their territory. Hunting from the comfort of moving trains, sportsmen left tens of thousands of carcasses to rot on the plains. What was once estimated to be herds totaling 50 million bison roaming the North American plain dwindled to fewer than 1000 before conservation efforts were put in place. | Hunting not for enjoyment: Moose hunting is something that even the most well traveled high budget hunters only do a few times in their lifetime. Not because they are not enjoyable, but more that they are a bucket list species, once you have gotten the one you are looking for, most call it good. For that reason, it’s important that you have the proper information to find the hunt that would satisfy your trophy quality expectations, physical condition level and budget.There are one of the most fragile species to weather, predation and habitat condition. If you will be hunting a hunt reliant on calling in dense terrain, pray for cool weather or it’s likely you won’t even see a bull. It’s nice to hunt areas that have both spotting capabilities along with moose calling as hunting strategies in case it get warm. It will increase your odds. |
| 3. Physical appearance: General description: A large headed, massive, tall but narrow-bodied bovid with a pronounced shoulder hump, short and robust legs, brown hair with a black nose, lips, tongue, hooves and horns.Horns: Arch backwards and upwards with point aimed somewhat inwards.Weight: Male weight about 1221-2000 lb. female weight about 701-1202 lb. Body length: male has 10-12 ft and female has 7-10.4 ft. | Physical appearance: General description: The moose has long, thick, light brown fur. Moose hair is hallow, which helps keep the moose warm. The moose has long legs.Its front legs are longer than its rear legs. This helps it jump over fallen trees and other forest debris. It has a long head with a large nose and upper lip. It has small ears, a small tail, and a dewlap hanging on its throat. It has powerful shoulder muscle.Horns or antlers: Horn is known as antlers. A male or bull moose has huge broad and flat antlers that can stretch 4 to 5 feet across. Antlers start to grow in the early summer. When antlers first start to grow, they are covered with a soft fuzzy skin called velvet. The velvet has blood vessels in it that deliver nutrients that help the antlers grow. By late summer, when the antlers reach full size, the blood supply dries up and the velvet starts to drop off. In Europe the moose is known as the elk.Weight: Moose are among the largest animals in the Northern Hemisphere. Adult males may weigh as much as 1500 pounds (680 Kg). Average weight for adult male are closer to 1000 pounds (450Kg) and 800 pounds (360Kg) for adult female. Body length: The body length will be vary some depending upon the sub-species. The Eastern or taiga bull moose has 9.2 feet or 280cm. The Alaskan or Tundra bull moose has body length about 9.2 feet. |
| 4. Mating season: Female bison are ready to mate when they are two to three years old. Males are not ready to mate until they are about six. Mating season begins in July and can run through September. When mating season begins, male bison move into female groups and select a female. They then tend the female.Males tend a female by staying between her and the rest of the herd. Tending can last for a few minutes or for several days.If a female isn’t interested in male, she will walk away. Males will threaten and sometimes attack other males that try to get too close to a female he is tending. Fight between males can involve headbutting, shoving, or locking horns. | Mating season: Moose mates early fall. During mating season, females attract males with their deep calls and strong scent. Bull moose use their antlers in threat displays when they are fighting over females. Sometimes they will get into a pushing fight with their antlers. These fights rarely get too serious because the antlers could catch together and both moose could die.When mating season is over, the moose’s antlers will fall off. Mice and other rodents will gnaw on the antlers because they are a good source of calcium.The female gives birth during the spring or summer. She usually has one baby. Moose calves can stand up within a day, and they can swim within a couple of weeks. |
| 5. They are aggressive in nature: They are aggressive in nature. | They are docile in nature but may be aggressive sometime: The moose is usually a peaceful animal but can become aggressive when it is threatened. It is never a good idea to approach a moose. Moose are very territorial, and if they think you are a threat, they will change at you. |
| Breeds | Weight | Origin | Current Population | Largest Recorded | Cost Live Animal $ | Cost of Meat / lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plains Bison | 700 - 2200 lbs | United States | 3,000 - Yellowstone | 3,800 lbs | $ 2500 - $5000 | $ 10.00 - $30.00 |
| Woods Bison | 790 - 2400 lbs | United States | 7,000 - Canada | $ 2500 - $5000 | ||
| European Bison | 1800 - 2200 lbs | Europe / Russia | 7,500 ( 2019 ) | 4,200 lb | $ 2500 - $5000 | |
| American Bison / American Buffalo | 880 - 2200 lbs | United States New York - Colorado | 545,000 | 3,800 lb | $ 2500 - $5000 | $ 10.00 - $30.00 |
| Water Buffalo | 1700 - 2600 lbs | Asia | 130 Million | 2650 lbs | $ 1500+ | $ 20.00 Lb |
| Cape Buffalo / African Buffalo | 660 - 1900 lbs | Africa | 900,000 | 2,000 lbs | $ 4,000 | |
| Domesticated Yak | 2200 lbs | Russia Tibet Himmalays | 14.2 Million - most in China | 2,205 lb | $ 2500+ | $ 18.00 Lb |
| Wild Yak | 2200 lbs | Russia Tibet Himmalays | 15,000 - 20,000 Northern Tibet Grassland | 2,205 lb | ||
