More than a century ago, bison were introduced to the North Rim area of the Grand Canyon. Bison are not native to the area, and the high-altitude, forested landscape of the Kaibab Plateau, and especially the North Rim, has been negatively impacted over the decades as the North Rim herd’s population has exploded from the 100 animals, to roughly 600 at the herd’s peak.
As part of a relocation plan that began in 2018, officials at Grand Canyon National Park, working with the Intertribal Buffalo Council, relocated 100 bison from the North Rim to the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe in South Dakota on September 13.
Since reduction efforts began, park staff have removed 306 bison from the North Rim, with 282 transferred to eight different American Indian tribes through an agreement with the Intertribal Buffalo Council.
In 2014, the National Park Service (NPS) initiated a science-based planning process to manage bison overpopulation at Grand Canyon National Park. By 2017, using the best available science and working closely with the public, the state of Arizona, and American Indian tribes, park managers finalized the Initial Bison Herd Reduction Plan. This plan aims to reduce the herd through live capture and transfer, as well as limited lethal removal. The 2024 summer population estimate for the herd was approximately 378 animals.
“This successful relocation is a testament to the collaborative efforts of all our partners,” said Grand Canyon Superintendent Ed Keable. “It represents a significant step toward achieving our long-term goals for bison management and conservation.”
Grand Canyon managers extend their thanks to the multiple agencies and organizations involved in bison management on the Kaibab Plateau. The NPS continues to collaborate closely with partners at the Intertribal Buffalo Council, Arizona Game and Fish Department, U.S. Geological Survey Fort Collins Science Center, U.S. Forest Service, and the NPS Office of Public Health to implement this science-based relocation as outlined in the 2017 Initial Bison Herd Reduction Plan.
For more information on bison management at Grand Canyon National Park, please visit: https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/nature/bison.htm
