Denver's Bison Becoming More Like The Bison The Indians Used to Rely On

[bobbolink]

This is an article with some good information, and worth the read. I have just picked a few parts I find quite interesting:

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_17661145

denver and the west
Denver bison herd evolving back to ancestry, gaining value
By Bruce Finley
The Denver Post
Posted: 03/21/2011 01:00:00 AM MDTUpdated: 03/21/2011 01:05:02 PM MDT



Denver's expanding municipal herd of bison, bred from ancestors domesticated after commingling with cattle, shows signs of reverting to its roots. The evidence from DNA tests, wild appearance and behavior delights conservationists. Some now seek a federal "endangered" designation to bolster the nation's purest bison.
(snip)
Bison calves increasingly are born with prominent humps on their backs, distinct from flat- backed cattle. About 30 are expected this spring.
(snip)
Today, calves showing cattle traits are auctioned. The 54 sold over the past two years brought in about $53,000. The revenue offsets costs of veterinary services and hay that sustain the herd during winter.
(snip)
(About a rejected effort to protect Bison as endangered) "We're likely to challenge that decision. Bison need further protection," said Noah Greenwald, endangered-species program director for the center. "Today's conservation herds aren't sufficient to preserve bison."

At the end of the article are some statistics about bison. The newspaper version has more pictures than are online.

[truebrit71]

1. Magnificent beasties!

...

[bobbolink]

3. Yes, indeed. And it is an often unexpected thrill for visitors to be driving out of Denver, with

the beautiful mountains as the backdrop, and see these tremendous creatures.

That they are reverting to their ancestry is great news!

[Liberal_in_LA]

21. With big scary looking heads!

[xchrom]

2. Cool. Nt

[ljm2002]

4. Thanks for posting!

What a magnificent beast in that picture.

I had no idea they were interbred with cattle, you learn something new every day! Glad to hear they are reverting back to being pure bison, and showing behavior that reflects it.

K&R

[bobbolink]

7. It has another side to it... they used to be quite tame, but now when

they don't like visitors getting too close, they "lick their lips, curl their tails, and charge."

Oooops. ^_^ And waaaay too many people who visit this state think that any animal they see in a "park" is like some Disney character. sigh....

I wish you could see the other pictures, too. Those humps are indeed quite a picture themselves.

You're very welcome, and thanks for reading! :hi: I hope you get to see them someday!

[closeupready]

12. I got to see some white buffalo on a ranch in AZ located on the drive to the Grand Canyon.

That was so delightful. :)

[bobbolink]

14. Lucky you! I got to see some white buffalo dancers on Jan 6. Does that count?

:hi:

[closeupready]

16. It does if you had fun.

:rofl: :hi:

[bobbolink]

17. Well, I wouldn't call it "fun"... it was very spiritual, and an experience most visitors don't get

to see.

Something I will definitely remember.

[underseasurveyor]

33. Knew a woman years ago

back in the 80's in Colorado and her title was White Buffalo Woman :-)

[underseasurveyor]

11. The cross beeeds were called Beefalo

[yellerpup]

5. Calves born with humps!

That is really exciting. Thanks, bobbolink. :kick: & Rec.

[bobbolink]

8. Isn't that great! That was the one thing that really got my attention, and caused me to

keep looking for the article. (The Denver Post is notoriously difficult to find online stories!)

Many years ago, I got to go to Yellowstone in the winter, and seeing these magnificent animals then, you really get the sense of why they have such a thick coat.

We were cross-country skiing down a hill, and turned with the trail, and came out of the trees............and there was a group of bison right ahead of us, right on the trail.

We decided the trail was theirs, and went another way. :hi: Up close, they are BIIIG.

[yellerpup]

15. You made the right choice when you chose not to

challenge the bison for the trail. They are gi-normous animals, smart, undomesticated, and potentially dangerous. All the more reason to protect the beasties, IMO. I'd love to hear the whole story of your skiing x-country through Yellowstone. What an adventure! :woohoo: Exciting!

[kiva]

6. Thanks for this, Bobbo -

When I was a kid I remember looking for them every time we went to Denver.

[bobbolink]

9. You saw this herd at Genessee? Where the overpass is?

[kiva]

34. I remember seeing buffalo

on our trips to Denver - sorry, I was young and can't remember exactly where. I do know that there were a few buffalo on the Western Slope, though we rarely saw them.

[bobbolink]

36. Those early memories really stick. I'm so glad your family traveled, and that you got to

see things so many kids don't.

The bison are still here, if you want to come back and see them. Soon they will be calving, and that is always fun to see the little ones.

[leveymg]

10. Makes one appreciate the incredible bravery of the Plains Indians who used to hunt these beasties

with spears, bows and arrows.

I for one would not like to come mano-a-mano with a bison, like that old boy.

[bobbolink]

13. Great thought. Actually, they used game walls, etc.

They would drive them off a cliff, or run them past a game wall (where the hungers were hiding), and shoot with some protection.

Still................. ^_^

[LibertyLover]

18. Thank you very much for this article

About 4 years ago we had a family wedding in Denver and wanted very badly to see this herd. Unfortunately we weren't able to, although I've seen bison in Yellowstone. I'm glad to see that this herd is reverting to type. Excellent news.

[bobbolink]

20. Its time to come back and see the bison! Well, when the fire dies down.

They really are a sight to see, especially soon, when they are calving!

Except for the fires, its really nice here now, so C'mon over! :hi:

[Canuckistanian]

19. Interesting

One of our neighbors down the road raises Bison. He's got a herd of about 30.

I didn't realize that Bison were interbreeding with cattle.

[bobbolink]

37. How long has he had that herd? It would be interesting to know if they are reverting....

Any hope of finding out?

[Tsiyu]

22. They are magnificent

I've seen the ones in Yellowstone with the family.

it is a great memory, the big herd - including many young calves - swarming across the road, around our vehicle.

I especially enjoyed the ones standing on the crust around the geysers - it was sleeting that day in June - getting warm, blowing great billowing breaths into the steam. i wondered what would happen if they fell through.

Thanks for posting this bobbie. As we speak I am enjoying listening to the frogs and peepers up here going crazy lookin' for love. It's such a wild but comforting sound.

[bobbolink]

23. If they fell through, it would be bison stew.

Actually, that happens. That winter in Yellowstone, we went to one of the Ranger programs where she talked about that.

She said too many visitors think that if you only go where there are animal prints, you will be safe. Then she talked about how many carcasses they had pulled out so far that winter. :(

What was funny was that she said, "You parents may find this interesting. Usually we find that it is the adolescents of any species that gets itself in trouble." :rofl:

Aw, I would love to be hearing the froggies and peepers! Thanks for remeinding me.. there is a place where it is guaranteed to hear them. Unfortunately, it is near fire #3.

Yellowstone is so incredible... especially in the winter, with the hoar frost... the steam from the geysers freezes on the trees. Just gorgeous. And skiing oout to back country geysers... the warm water from the geysers keeps the stream water flowing, and the big boulders in the stream with heavy snow on them look like giant marshmallows. ^_^

[Tsiyu]

26. Just stand back and wait for stew then!

How many fires are going out there?

Not good.

It's dry here and I burned a few leaves, but we've been denied burn permits for larger burns til the fires here stop popping up.

The gal who rented a place from my cousin a mile from here in the same woods saw the rental trailer (brand new when she moved in two years ago) go up in flames several weeks ago. Another homeless person now, though she has found a place to stay for the time being with her kids.

Everything is like tinder out there.


Hoping for fire-suppressing juju, fwiw

[petronius]

24. Great story (and excellent news)! The rolling-in-blood thing is certainly a trip

I remember how surprised I was the first time I came across the ones in Golden Gate Park; they're really a pleasure to watch...

[bobbolink]

25. Yes! I wanted to include that, but they have one-sentence paragraphs. :(

"they're really a pleasure to watch..."

Especially in calving season!

You are in the area?

I helped with the plant survey in Golden Gate. Lots of green growies to identify. ^_^

[petronius]

28. Not in the area, but we visit a few times per year (and GG Park is often on the list)

The botany of the park itself (outside the formal garden areas) is pretty awesome - I've often thought that there is so much in the park (museums, etc) that it isn't properly appreciated as a park in it's own right (at least not by visitors). Unlike, say, Central Park where the paths and fields are more centrally the attraction...

[bobbolink]

29. After I posted that,, I had a feeling I was thinking about the wrong Golden Gate.

There is one here, not even too far from the Denver park where that article talks about.

right now there is lots of smoke there from the fire. sigh...

Haven't been to the other Golden Gate is years..... and I don't remember seeing the formal gardens.

Yeah... just a damned tourista. ^_^

[petronius]

32. Golden Gate Canyon, I guess? From my googling, it looks gorgeous

I was in Boulder a few years ago for a workshop and we went for a dayhike somewhere to the SW (don't recall where but it was sorta near a reservoir). I just remember a really beautiful open rolling grassland/forest, with great views of snow-covered peaks to the west.

Seems pretty early for a big fire - has it been drought conditions around there?

[roamer65]

27. I wish the US Mint would put them back on the nickel.

The 1913-1938 design was one of the best in the history of our nation. The 2005 Bison nickel should have become permanent.

[bobbolink]

31. Actually, the article it mentions that nickel.. that when we see bison, we want to see the hump just

like on the nickel. ^_^

[fishwax]

30. interesting article -- magnificent creatures

thanks for posting. :)

[fizzgig]

35. i didn't know about the herds

lived here my whole life and never knew they existed. way cool :)