American Bison Along Wildlife Loop Road, Custer State Park

American bison with brown and black fur stands in grassland near coniferous forest.
American bison with brown and black fur stands in grassland near coniferous forest.

The American bison grazing along Wildlife Loop Road belongs to one of the largest publicly held herds in the country, numbering around 1,300 animals within Custer State Park's 71,000 acres. Custer State Park holds an annual Buffalo Roundup each fall, drawing thousands of spectators to watch riders and volunteers herd the animals for vaccination and population management. Bulls in the herd can weigh up to 2,000 pounds, and both sexes carry curved horns that grow throughout their lives. The park's herd descends from bison reintroduced in the 1900s after the species was nearly wiped out across the Great Plains in the previous century.

Photo taken in July 2019.

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