American Bison
Yellowstone National Park, USA
In the central region of the United States, where three states meet, lies the largest volcanic area on the North American continent. In 1872, this land became the site of the world鈥檚 first national park, Yellowstone. This vast land is home to countless American bison.
April to May, when the weather begins to warm, calving season arrives and many young are born. Adult bison are enormous animals, weighing more than 900 kilograms, and their presence is undeniably powerful.
When I approached a bison mother and her calf to take a photograph, something must have unsettled them, and they suddenly charged toward me. The calf, drawn along by its mother, rushed forward as well. I felt a mix of surprise and amusement. I managed to retreat quickly, and fortunately nothing happened. Bison are vigilant animals, not only when raising their young, but always.
Once estimated at around sixty million across the entire United States, they became entangled in human land disputes of the time and were killed in vast numbers, reducing their population to only a few hundred by around 1900. Although they stood on the brink of extinction, conservation policies were later introduced, and their numbers have since recovered to the point that they are no longer classified as endangered.
For the wolves that also live here under protection, bison remain an important source of prey. Many wild animals, not only bison, have been pushed to the edge of extinction or lost entirely due to human actions. Once a species disappears, it can never return.
Gazing at the endearing face of a baby bison, I felt deeply grateful that they were able to survive.
