The Bison’s Gift by Ariana Brennhofer

The American Bison – whose Latin name, funnily enough, is Bison bison – is a symbol of the United States’ identity — a bit ironic since white settlers nearly hunted them to extinction. These magnificent creatures used to roam from California to the Rockies, encompassing much of the North American continent. Now, they are found in small pockets along the American West. One of these more notorious places is Yellowstone National Park. During our time on the course – Restoration Ecology – we took a five-day backpacking trip in Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley, an area full of bison. I was able to see bison for the very first time. Female bison tend to travel in herds through the plains, whereas male bison, known as bulls, are more solitary and can be seen in groups of one to five at a time.

At our first campsite in Yellowstone, a group of these bulls moseyed through our camp. As our group settled down to sleep, nestled in our tent that was both conveniently and inconveniently staked down in a bison wallow — patches of earth in which bison roll in order to shed and aid in thermoregulation – we finished up the last of our homework before snuggling into our sleeping bags. Suddenly, a thunderous rumble could be heard from outside the thin canvas of our tent. It was so loud that one could believe it was but three feet from us. However, as we slowly opened our rain tarp and peeked through, three brown mounds could be seen in the distance, yards away! As they drew nearer, however, we had to quickly abandon our tents and scurry away to an acceptable distance. They passed lazily through our camp as awe and fear, both hand-in-hand, overtook us. It was a moment in our lives, no longer than fifteen minutes total, but it was an unforgettable one.

Bison have come back to the United States in full force, and while they are not as widespread as they once were, it gives me hope that other animal restoration efforts can be just as successful, so that we all can experience this amazing wonder of being immersed in a world much larger than us. This is the gift that the bison gave me, and one I hope to carry for the rest of my life, wherever I may be.