Herd Of Buffalo Racing on Dusty Track

In recent times it is considered by some to be more accurate to refer to the New World buffalo as a bison, since it is not in the same genus as the two buffalo of the Old World.

The argument is debatable however, because the old world buffalo do not share a genus either, and there is a fourth animal called the gaur or "Indian bison", which belongs in yet another separate genus, with different lineage.

The fact is, there is little confusion in identifying the animal, particularly when the term "American buffalo" is used, and just as we commonly say "dog" and "cat" instead of "Canine" and "feline", the common term should not be considered incorrect.

The animal has been referred to as a "buffalo" - which is a form of a French word "boeuff", simply meaning "large cow", and from which the word "beef" also comes - throughout its history, and the word "buffalo" has been used in reference to the American animal as far back as 1635.

There is a European bison as well, that, although separated by oceans, looks very much like the American bison or buffalo, and is basically considered to be the same animal.

The Old World "buffaloes" are the Cape buffalo of Africa, and the domesticated water buffalo of Asia. The most obvious difference is that they lack the thick, woolly fur of the American buffalo, and are usually black in color.

The horn shape is different as well, with the Old World buffaloes having longer horns that curve back in towards each other.

Finally, all of these animals are bovines from the subfamily bovinae, which are all basically cow-like animals with cloven hooves and multi-chambered stomachs.