# "Bison are the only mammals that don't get cancer." True?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bison-are-the-only-mammals-that-dont-get-cancer-true/165094
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [March 29, 2003, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bison-are-the-only-mammals-that-dont-get-cancer-true/165094 "2003-03-29T22:46:12Z")
**Posts on this page:** 13
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2003, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bison-are-the-only-mammals-that-dont-get-cancer-true/165094/21 "2003-03-30T18:21:05Z")
I’m going to eat a shark that ate a bison, and be _doubly_ protected!
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2003, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bison-are-the-only-mammals-that-dont-get-cancer-true/165094/22 "2003-03-30T18:40:23Z")
Nitpick: The scientific name for the American bison isn’t “bison bison bison”, nor “Bison Bison Bison”. It’s “Bison bison bison” (or even “B. bison bison”). Genus name is capitalized (and sometimes abbreviated), species and subspecies names are lowercase.
And hijack: Is **elfbabe** **Quadgop** ’s daughter? Welcome!
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### Author:  [@friggae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friggae)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2003, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bison-are-the-only-mammals-that-dont-get-cancer-true/165094/23 "2003-03-30T19:26:25Z")
Actually, it would be _Bison bison bison_ or Bison bison bison.
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### Author:  [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2003, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bison-are-the-only-mammals-that-dont-get-cancer-true/165094/24 "2003-03-30T19:48:23Z")
While we’re nitpicking Bison (or _Bison_), it should probably be pointed out that there are two recognized subspecieis of North American bison: the aforementioned _B. bison bison_ (aka the Plains Bison) and _B. bison athabascae_ (aka the Wood Bison). If one wishes to refer specifically to the Plains Bison or Wood Bison, then one should include the subspecies designation. If one wishes to refer to all NA bison, then one should use _Bison bison_ (or _B. bison_). If one wishes to refer generally to any bison species (including the European species), then one would use _Bison_ sp. or simply the genus name _Bison_. Or, just say “bison”.
After typing “bison” so much in this post, I’ve come to realize it’s a pretty silly-looking word…
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### Author:  [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2003, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bison-are-the-only-mammals-that-dont-get-cancer-true/165094/25 "2003-03-30T20:12:23Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Darwin’s Finch \*
> \*\*
>
> After typing “bison” so much in this post, I’ve come to realize it’s a pretty silly-looking word… \*\*
Well, since we’re talking about American bison, I propose we use the word “buffalo” for the rest of this thread.
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### Author:  [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2003, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bison-are-the-only-mammals-that-dont-get-cancer-true/165094/26 "2003-03-30T20:22:59Z")
I always liked the word, totonka.
Plus, I thought it was Emus that were supposed to be the miracle beast.
I know they’re not mammals, neither are sharks. BUT how 'bout cetaceans?
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### Author:  [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2003, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bison-are-the-only-mammals-that-dont-get-cancer-true/165094/27 "2003-03-30T20:30:41Z")
make that tatonka
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### Author:  [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2003, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bison-are-the-only-mammals-that-dont-get-cancer-true/165094/28 "2003-03-30T23:10:44Z")
Considering that cancer is essentially gene replication gone wrong, and all living things undergo gene replication, it doesn’t seem possible that any species could be \* immune \*from cancer. Some species probably have a lower incidence of cancer than others, perhaps due to their diets, but they can’t be immune from it.
Cancer is mostly a disease of later life, as are heart disease and diabetes. At the time when plains Indians were eating mainly bison (bison bison), they probably had quite a low life expectancy too, so wouldn’t have suffered the late-life diseases in the numbers we do today.
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### Author:  [@vasyachkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vasyachkin)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2003, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bison-are-the-only-mammals-that-dont-get-cancer-true/165094/29 "2003-03-31T07:30:46Z")
by the way those omegas, are fatty acids, or OILs as far you are are concerned.
in case you were wondering 🙂
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### Author:  [@CzechHistory411](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CzechHistory411)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2003, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bison-are-the-only-mammals-that-dont-get-cancer-true/165094/30 "2003-03-31T08:08:43Z")
[Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo!](http://students.cec.wustl.edu/~ab9/archives/20.html)
– CH
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### Author:  [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2003, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bison-are-the-only-mammals-that-dont-get-cancer-true/165094/31 "2003-03-31T15:34:35Z")
Say, would a buffalo with fluffy white fur be a _bison frisé_?
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### Author:  [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2003, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bison-are-the-only-mammals-that-dont-get-cancer-true/165094/32 "2003-03-31T17:35:56Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by vasyachkin \*
> **by the way those omegas, are fatty acids, or OILs as far you are are concerned.**
My BS detector kinda went wiggy when you discussed the omega stuff, kinda sounds like a snake oil (or flax seed oil) salesman pitch. Do you have any reputable links on this omega stuff? I’ve heard plenty about good cholesterol/bad cholesteral etc., but this is the first time I’ve heard about omegas.
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### Author:  [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2003, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bison-are-the-only-mammals-that-dont-get-cancer-true/165094/33 "2003-03-31T17:46:13Z")
Aha, just another name for polyunsaturated.
carry on.
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