Bison on Wildlife Loop Road, Custer State Park

An American bison stands near the Wildlife Loop Road in Custer State Park, South Dakota, at dawn. Custer State Park manages one of the largest bison herds in the country, preserving a lineage tied to the Great Plains ecosystem and Native American history. The park's conservation efforts, including annual roundups, aim to maintain the health of the prairie and the bison population, which once numbered in the millions before the 19th century. Bison are a keystone species, their grazing habits significantly influencing the biodiversity of the grasslands.