Bison Capture, Grand Canyon Conservation: A Winning Combination

One of the reasons visitors love Grand Canyon is because of the amazing wildlife the park contains. But with one species in particular, there is too much of a good thing: the North Rim bison herd, introduced more than 100 years ago, has become too large for the land to sustain it. 

Bison are marvelous creatures, but they are not native to the high-altitude, forested portion of the Kaibab Plateau that contains the North Rim. The herd negatively impacts vegetation, water resources, and even archaeological sites. 

The National Park Service is working to reduce the size of the park's bison herd from more than 800 to less than 200 by 2025. These efforts are paying dividends. Since reduction efforts began in 2018, park staff have captured and removed over 200 bison and have transferred 182 to eight Tribal Nations in five states through an agreement with the InterTribal Buffalo Council.

Yet, no consistent funding exists to support this pressing need. Urgent action is required if Grand Canyon National Park is to meet its goal of reducing the bison herd to less than 200 by 2025.

Conservation and culture: How you can help

Your generous gift will:

• Allow park staff, in partnership with the InterTribal Buffalo Council, to reduce the bison herd through annual live captures.
• Enable significant repairs to the bison corral, thus ensuring staff safety and long-term success for live capture efforts.
• Support relocation of North Rim bison to affiliated tribes and tribal lands, an act of great cultural significance.