Managing Bison-Human Conflict in Yellowstone National Park
Category: Community Engagement Poster
Author(s): Kay Wayman
Presenter(s): Kay Wayman
Mentors(s): Veronica Yovovich
Yellowstone National Park is the world’s first National Park, established in 1872 and contains 2.2 million acres of natural area that serves as home to many incredible wildlife species, including deer, elk, wolves, and bison. In the 2024 season, the park saw more than 4 million visitors from around the world. Despite park regulations requiring guests to maintain a distance of at least 23 meters from all wildlife, each year averages four incidences of bison-related injuries each year due to guests approaching wildlife. This project assessed data collected across the span of the park’s life, analyzing the activities surrounding the injuries, type of injury sustained, as well as age, and whether they were American or foreign visitors to the park, and provides suggestions on how to manage the conflict between human visitors and bison residents.