Bison Paddock

The American bison you see grazing in this paddock are part of a conservation legacy that began in eighteen ninety-one. At that time, the species was on the brink of total extinction across North America due to aggressive overhunting and habitat loss. Park superintendent John McLaren decided to introduce a small herd to the park as a desperate effort to help save the species from disappearing forever. The first bull to arrive was named Ben Harrison, after the twenty-third president of the United States, and he was soon joined by a cow named Sarah Bernhardt, named for the famous French actress. This sanctuary served as a successful breeding site, eventually welcoming hundreds of calves over the decades and contributing to the recovery of the American bison population.