The bison is a majestic, massive creature, a true emblem of the American frontier spirit. These sturdy animals roamed North America"s prairies for thousands of years in numbers estimated to be as high as 60 million. But settlement of the American West caused habitat loss, and that, combined with overhunting, nearly wiped out the species altogether by the end of the 19th century. Ranchers, conservationists, Native American tribes, and politicians teamed up to save the bison and today, nearly 500,000 bison can be found in North America. About 15,000 animals are in free-roaming herds that graze on US public lands, like the bison in today"s image, shown at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.
American bison, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Endangered Species Day
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Seasonal lights dazzle in Japan
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A Carpathian Christmas celebration
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Big wheels on a big mountain
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Fox kits
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Registan Square, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
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Classical music takes center stage
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At the shore of an inland sea
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A house of grand scale(s)
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The Lena Delta Wildlife Reserve in Siberia, Russia
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Canada Day
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Taking the scenic route
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From garden to table?
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Celebrating National Panda Day
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Cecropia leaf and lobster claw petals in Mexico
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American Wetlands Month
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World Bee Day
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Tree of many colors
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A crane for good luck in today’s big game
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Art and soul
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Cloughoughter Castle, County Cavan, Ireland
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Siblings Day
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A medieval celebration in the Mediterranean
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Cheetah mother and cub
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Festival of British Archaeology
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Sailing on thick ice
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Mother s Day
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Fresh water on the Silk Road
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Not your average sandcastle
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The moon rises for Mid-Autumn Festival