Bison and Buffalo

[deckardcanine]

Bison and buffalo, both among bovids,
Resemble the oxen with horns and great size,
But buffalo aren’t on American landscapes,
Despite what that “Home on the Range” song implies.
The bison evolved to plow snow in the winter,
And that’s why they have a big hump on the back.
The buffalo live in South Asia and Africa,
Not where they’d want to be built like a yak.
For similar reasons, the bison have manes
And their pelage gets shaggy all over their bods.
The buffalo’s horns are much longer but blunter;
If both should face off, I’m not sure of the odds,
But buffalo do have the edge in sheer mass
And seem better equipped for a predator threat.
They also live many years longer on average.
Now I’ll recall how they differ, no sweat!

Comments

[richardf8]

When I read that first line, I was hoping for Sievers’ Verse.