Steppe Bison
Bison priscus
🦬
Chordata
Mammalia
Artiodactyla
Pecora
Bovidae
Bison
Bison priscus
The Steppe Bison, Bison priscus, was one of the most widespread Ice Age grazers, ranging from Western Europe across Siberia to North America. Its stocky build, thick coat, and distinctive hump made it well adapted to frigid steppe-tundra environments. This species was central to the lives of Upper Paleolithic humans, appearing prominently in cave art and archaeological kill sites.
Description
The Steppe Bison was a robust and formidable herbivore that roamed the vast mammoth steppes of Europe, Central Asia, Beringia, and North America during the Quaternary period. Standing up to 2 meters tall at the shoulder and weighing as much as 900 kilograms, it bore a strong resemblance to modern bison species, particularly the American wood bison. Notably, the Steppe Bison possessed longer and thicker horns, with tips that spanned up to a meter apart, each horn extending over half a meter in length. Its physique was well-adapted to the open terrains of the Pleistocene epoch, characterized by expansive grasslands and sparse vegetation. Dental microwear analysis suggests that the Steppe Bison was a mixed feeder, consuming a varied diet rather than strictly grazing.
Quick Facts
Max Mass
Shoulder Height
Standing Height
Length
Diet
Trophic Level
900
2
3
3.8
kg
m
m
m
Mixed Feeder
Herbivores – Grazers
Hunt History
Bison priscus was a primary prey animal for Pleistocene humans in Eurasia and early Paleoindians in North America. Upper Paleolithic hunters used spears, atlatls, and cooperative drives to ambush herds. The species held cultural significance: it was painted in caves, engraved on ivory, and carved into antler artifacts. Its hide, meat, bones, and horns were essential for survival.
Archaeological Evidence of Human Predation:
Altamira Cave (Spain, ~36,000 years ago) — Famous polychrome paintings of steppe bison demonstrate both cultural reverence and hunting importance.
Lascaux Cave (France, ~17,000 years ago) — Detailed bison depictions highlight its central role in Ice Age ecology and human subsistence.
Bluefish Caves (Yukon, Canada, ~24,000 years ago) — Butchered bison bones with cut marks are some of the oldest evidence of human activity in North America.
Time & Range
Extinction Status
Globally Extinct
Extinction Date
Temporal Range
Region
10000
BP
Late Pleistocene
Europe
Wiki Link
Fat Analysis
Fatness Profile:
Medium
Fat %
6
Est. Renderable Fat
54
kg
Targeted Organs
Hump/backfat, marrow, mesenteric fat
Adipose Depots
Hump/backfat, mesenteric, perirenal; marrow
Preferred Cuts
Hump/backfat & marrow
Hunt Difficulty (x/5)
4