| Summary: | Yellowstone National Park is often credited for bringing American bison back from the brink of extinction. In 1902, there were merely 25 individual bison in the park, but now, Yellowstone’s herd fluctuates between 3,000 and 5,500 animals. Over the past century, the national park’s conservation effort pushed bison into the public spotlight. The animal has become a symbol of the great American west, and recently, bison were named the US National mammal.
Many of Yellowstone National Park’s bison reside in the park’s northern range, a 380,000-acre network of valleys, mountains, and river basins. One of these valleys, Lamar, is a hotspot for bison viewing, but, unbeknownst to many casual tourists, the area has also long-been the center of an intense scientific debate.
Before thousands of bison covered the floor of Lamar Valley, a different hooved mammal stood in their place. Over the 19th and 20th centuries, hunting pressure, federal policy, and unnatural predator-prey relationships made Yellowstone’s northern range a haven for elk herds. As they proliferated in peace, elk chewed through the northern range’s preexisting ecosystems. Their appetites took a severe toll on native flora, which in turn, shrank habitats for other wildlife. Debates about park management and range science broke out between independent scientists and Yellowstone officials. The disagreements lasted for decades. But in the late 1990s, a whirlwind of decisions reduced (and maintained) elk herds to a more manageable level. Scientists thought that finally, the northern range’s native flora and fauna might have a chance to recover.
For many years, it seemed like an ecological revival was beginning. But not in some places. Regrowth in regions of the northern range where bison heavily grazed were lagging behind. A growing body of research suggests that bison are having a similar adverse effect on Yellowstone’s ecosystems as the historic overabundance of elk. In Lamar Valley, many riverbanks are still devoid of trees, beavers are few and far between, and non-native species are increasingly prevalent.
Yellowstone officials disagree with this consensus. Instead, they point to research showing how bison positively impact the landscape. In 2023, the park released a bison management proposal that has only intensified the debate. The proposal dismissed a large body of research as insignificant, going on to suggest an increase to the size of the park’s bison herd. In addition to concern about ecological degradation, many independent researchers are perplexed as to why Yellowstone — the world’s first national park — is seemingly intent on diminishing or ignoring the significance of legitimate scientific research.
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