Bison Spring in Yellowstone

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Bison Springtime at Yellowstone

In our time, it is difficult to believe that only 225 years ago, upwards of 10 million buffalo (Bison bison) roamed the North American continent from the North Atlantic coast to the Rocky Mountains and slightly beyond and as far south as central Mexico. Nomadic native peoples made over 100 articles for daily use from the bison carcass.

 Between 1875 and 1900, a relentless orgy of hunting, by civilians and military trappers alike, decimated the herds until by 1901, only about 400 buffalo were found on the continent. Native peoples were forced onto reservations. In l905 however, bison rescue efforts developed. Today

 the herds number about 30,000.

 A baby bison can usually coordinate its actions within two hours of birth. At three months, its reddish-orange coat has darkened into a deep rich brown, its back has arched and its grunt loses its nasal sound. As an adult, it is the largest land mammal in North America. 

Yellowstone comprises 2.2 million acres of land and has thousands of thermal features, no two of which are exactly alike.  Earthquakes happen

daily, but are too small to be felt by visitors.

Watercolor 22” x 26”