Grand Canyon – Grand Canyon National Park is implementing its pilot bison reduction activities on the North Rim this month through live capture and removal of approximately 60-100 animals.
Bison selected for removal will be transferred to the InterTribal Buffalo Council for distribution among Native American tribes who request live bison to augment their own herds.
Plans to reduce the population of bison in the park were moved to this fall when inclement weather conditions cancelled the planned capture program in late 2018.
Under the limited pilot program, the park will implement, test and evaluate techniques related to the live capture and removal of bison. Ensuring park and partner staff safety and animal welfare are the highest priorities of park management, and captured animals will be monitored by a veterinarian throughout the process. The Grand Canyon will use best management practices developed from over 100 years of bison management on National Park lands.