Bison and Grand Teton – Jackson – Wyoming
Bison (Buffalo) graze in the grasslands beneath the Teton Range, in Grand Teton National Park. The park, established in 1929 by President Calvin Coolidge, is located in the Jackson Hole valley of Wyoming. It is connected with Yellowstone National Park to the north via the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. The park owes much of its existence to Rockefeller, who believed so strongly that the Jackson Valley needed to be preserved, that he purchased large portions of it, before turning control over to the Federal Government for conservation.
American bison can weigh from around 400 to 1,270 kilograms (880 to 2,800 pounds). It has been estimated that more than 60 million roamed North America in the late 18th century, while only 500,000 survive today. As of 2019, the Bison herd in Grand Teton numbered approximately 600 animals, while in neighboring Yellowstone the population is around 5,000.