Rugged survivors of the Northern Great Plains, bison were nearly eliminated in the late 19th century due to . The creatures’ highly profitable, heavy wool hides were fashionable for jackets, and the U.S. government also sanctioned their slaughter as a way to compel Native Americans, who relied on the animals for sustenance, onto reservations. Still listed as a “near threatened” species and considered “ecologically extinct,” bison no longer play a role in prairie biodiversity. But their survival today is due in large part to dedicated, often Indigenous-led regeneration efforts across the plains.
Since prehistoric times, the only place where bison have lived continuously is in what is now . The massive animals, which can weigh up to 2,000 pounds, develop a burly undercoat of coarse fur that protects them from the elements, keeping them warm and comfortable in temperatures as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit. On a week-long camping trip last winter, photographer captured families of bison, along with other critters who frequent the area, in the stunning short film “.”
Featuring some of the thousands-strong herd that wanders freely through the expansive park and nearby areas of Montana, Simms observed steaming geysers, sly coyotes, and ice-coated mineral deposits in otherworldly scenes captured during the season when up to 200 inches of snow coats the landscape.
Follow more of Simm’s adventures on his channel and . (via )
All images © Drew Simms
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