What is the sense in which wood bison are considered the closest living relatives to the extinct steppe bison (*Bison priscus*)?
Answer
Evolutionary tie to the region, as they were reintroduced to Siberia.
The wood bison holds a specific evolutionary significance related to ancient megafauna, linking them to Asian history. They are identified as the closest living relatives to the extinct steppe bison, *Bison priscus*, which once ranged widely across Siberia. This evolutionary connection underpinned an extraordinary international conservation effort. Starting in 2006, disease-free wood bison were shipped from Elk Island National Park (EINP) in Canada to the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) in Russia to initiate a 'rewilding' project in climatically comparable conditions, demonstrating their adaptability and reinforcing their historical lineage connection to that region.
Related Questions
What metric generally distinguishes wood bison from plains bison (Bison bison bison)?Where is the peak of the shoulder hump located in the wood bison relative to the front legs?What physiological adaptation allows wood bison to survive severe seasonal food scarcity?What critical environmental challenge did the Alaskan reintroduction of wood bison face due to unique winter conditions?Which specific diseases carried by introduced plains bison spread to wood bison herds in WBNP?By what approximate percentage are wood bison typically heavier than plains bison?What is the approximate gestation period for female wood bison following breeding during the rut?When did the Canadian government relocate surplus plains bison into Wood Buffalo National Park (WBNP)?Which Canadian park became the base for establishing disease-free conservation herds after the 1957 rediscovery?What is the sense in which wood bison are considered the closest living relatives to the extinct steppe bison (*Bison priscus*)?What specific feeding advantage does the wood bison’s massive head provide when reaching forage in winter?