“Buffalo” and “bison” are sometimes used interchangeably, especially in the US, but scientifically speaking, they are very different animals. Both are large, horned beasts related to cattle, but they differ in their geographical range, appearance, behavior, and taxonomic family history. The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.

A simple (though not perfect) rule of thumb to know the difference between bison and buffalo is geography:

True buffalo are native to sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.

Bison are native to North America and parts of Europe.

However, the confusion arises because American bison are colloquially referred to as “buffalo,” despite not being true buffalo. This nickname stems from a misunde

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