The American Bison, or the Buffalo as many of us grew up calling them, is probably the most iconic mammal in North America. At one time millions of them roamed North America and then were hunted nearly to extinction. One of the largest herds of American Bison can be found in Yellowstone National Park, and they truly are a magnificent animal in a magnificent park.
According to the Department of Interior website, 15 Facts About Our National Mammal, Yellowstone is the only place in the United States where bison have lived continuously since prehistoric times, this makes them special in that they are pure descendants of early bison and are free of cattle genes. What I think makes the Yellowstone bison so special is that they are roaming herds of wild beasts living in an expanse of stunning wilderness that we can actually visit.
We saw a lot of bison on our trip to Yellowstone earlier this year, but of all the images I made of bison, this is the one that had the biggest impact on me. The lone bison in an expansive landscape.