It’s a magnificent sight to observe free-roaming bison in the Great Plains, where an estimated 30 million of the creatures roamed before overhunting in the 1800s took the entire species down to several hundred. Yellowstone National Park is the only place in the lower 48 states to have a continuously free-ranging bison population since prehistoric times.
Rangers there report that bison have injured more people in the park than any other animal, likely because their slow grazing nature disguises the fact that they can run three times faster than humans. Bison are the largest land-dwelling mammal in North America. Males can reach 2,000 pounds, females 1,100 pounds. They are unpredictable and agile, able to jump over objects up to 5 feet tall and reaching speeds of 35 miles per hour.
Please remember these tips to ensure safety for yourself and the animals:
Pay attention: Bison are wild and they do react to people sometimes. Never turn your back on a bison to take a selfie. Notice if your presence causes the bison to change its behavior, whether it’s looking up from grazing, pawing at the ground or moving its tail from a down position to straight up. If you see a change in behavior, leave the area.
Give them space: Heather Brown, chief of Interpretation and Visitor Services at Kansas’ Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, says in Kansas it’s important to stay even farther away from bison than the 25 yards many parks suggest. The pasture where you see bison at the preserve, for example, has no trees to climb or other cover so staying 100 yards away is advisable.
Share the road: If you’re driving through a wildlife area, remember the bison have the right of way. Don’t drive too close or honk, do watch your speed and stay in your vehicle.