---
title: "American bison vs giraffe — size, weight and speed compared"
description: "Giraffe is 1.6× American bison on weight. Compared on 4 measured properties, with the full range and a source for each."
url: https://atoneplace.net/vs/american-bison-vs-giraffe/
site: "At One Place"
---

# American bison vs Giraffe

**American bison vs giraffe: Giraffe is larger on weight**

Giraffe is 1.6× American bison on weight.

An American bison and a giraffe can be compared on 4 measures. The figures below are typical adult or full-size values, with the larger of the two in bold.

## Side by side

*Larger value in bold. Ranges reflect genuine variation, not uncertainty.*

|  | American bison | Giraffe |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weight | 320–1,270 kg | 700–1,930 kg |
| Height | 1.5–2 m | 4.3–5.9 m |
| Top speed | 56 km/h | 60 km/h |
| Typical lifespan | 15–25 yr | 20–28 yr |

## What the numbers say

- Giraffe is 1.6× American bison on weight.
- Giraffe is 2.8× American bison on height.
- American bison and giraffe are near enough identical on top speed.
- Giraffe is somewhat greater than American bison on typical lifespan — about 1.3×.

*Weight compared.*

- Giraffe: 700–1,930 kg
- American bison: 320–1,270 kg

## American bison

The heaviest land animal in the Americas; commonly called a buffalo, though true buffalo live in Africa and Asia.

## Giraffe

The tallest living animal; its neck holds the same seven vertebrae as a human neck.

> This is a comparison of published measurements, nothing more. It describes how two things differ on measures that have been recorded; it does not predict how they would fare against each other in any situation.

## Common questions

### Which is bigger, American bison or giraffe?

Giraffe is 1.6× American bison on weight. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.

### How do American bison and giraffes compare on height?

American bison: 1.5–2 m. Giraffe: 4.3–5.9 m. Giraffe is 2.8× American bison on height.

### How do American bison and giraffes compare on top speed?

American bison: 56 km/h. Giraffe: 60 km/h. American bison and giraffe are near enough identical on top speed.

## Related pages

- [Giraffe vs hippopotamus](https://atoneplace.net/vs/giraffe-vs-hippopotamus/)
- [Giraffe vs white rhinoceros](https://atoneplace.net/vs/giraffe-vs-white-rhinoceros/)
- [Black rhinoceros vs giraffe](https://atoneplace.net/vs/black-rhinoceros-vs-giraffe/)
- [American bison vs cow](https://atoneplace.net/vs/american-bison-vs-cow/)
- [American bison vs hippopotamus](https://atoneplace.net/vs/american-bison-vs-hippopotamus/)
- [American bison vs moose](https://atoneplace.net/vs/american-bison-vs-moose/)
- [American bison vs Cape buffalo](https://atoneplace.net/vs/american-bison-vs-cape-buffalo/)
- [American bison vs black rhinoceros](https://atoneplace.net/vs/american-bison-vs-black-rhinoceros/)
- [Cape buffalo vs giraffe](https://atoneplace.net/vs/cape-buffalo-vs-giraffe/)
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- [American bison vs water buffalo](https://atoneplace.net/vs/american-bison-vs-water-buffalo/)
- [African elephant vs giraffe](https://atoneplace.net/vs/african-elephant-vs-giraffe/)

## Sources

- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution (https://naturalhistory.si.edu/)