Busting 4 Wyoming Animal Myths

Let's say you're new to Wyoming and you're trying to figure out the wildlife.

Nothing to be ashamed of. We all have to learn sometimes.

First, Wyoming does not have Buffalo. We have bison.

BISON - Not Buffalo.

Bison and buffalo are different animals, though the terms are often used interchangeably.

Bison are native to North America, while buffalo are native to Asia and Africa.

Bison are FLUFFY! Buffalo are not.

Both male and female bison have horns.

Mama bison milk does not freeze in the winter.

But it's not just bison that some people are confused about.

ELK - Not Moose.

Elk do not turn into moose.

Yeah, some people thought that they did.

The animals in Yellowstone and other parts of Wyoming are not caged, not domesticated, and are wild.

It is likely they will hurt you if you get too close and spook them.

There are likely fewer than 7,000 gray wolves left in the entire lower 48 states.

WOLVES - Not a house pet.

Wolves look like a typical domesticated dog. But they have been far removed from it by human breeding.

DO NOT APPROACH!

They spook easily.

The gray wolf's long-term survival is at stake.

It has barely begun to recover from being endangered and is still absent from significant portions of its former range, where substantial suitable habitat remains.

PRONGHORNS - Not antelope.

Pronghorn, antelope, speed goat — the many names of a one-of-a-kind species. Pronghorn are native to North America and have no other family in the world.

Wyoming is home to the largest number of pronghorns in North America — roughly 320,000.

The pronghorn is the fastest land animal in North America, with a top speed of around 55 miles per hour