Alright, gang. In about a minute, we’ll pass by a few park facilities. There’s the Yellowstone Forever Institute, Lamar Buffalo Ranch, and Lamar Ranger Station. They aren’t the kind of places we can just pop in unannounced and say hello, so let’s just keep on driving, while I tell you about what they do. 

The Yellowstone Forever Institute is the official nonprofit partner of Yellowstone National Park, and they work to raise funds for projects that help educate visitors and protect the park’s resources. They also offer tours and classes for those looking for a hands-on experience with park experts–check out our highlights for more info. 

Just past the institute is the Lamar Buffalo Ranch. More than fence and pasture land, the buffalo ranch is an educational center and historical site. Some even consider it to be the birthplace of the American Conservation movement. And even though it’s called the Lamar Buffalo Ranch, there aren’t any real buffalo in Yellowstone. In North America, we have bison. I’ll talk more about the differences between buffalo and bison along Norris Canyon Road, later in the tour. 

Back in the late 1800s, bison were virtually extinct. Overhunting, livestock-borne illnesses, and the decrease of open grazing space meant that wild bison had nearly been eliminated. By the turn of the century, only 25 bison inhabited Yellowstone National Park, their last stronghold in North America.

Then, the park service began trying to save them. In 1901, they bought 21 bison from local ranchers and raised them here before releasing them into the wild. These bison effectively integrated with their wild counterparts, and the herd quickly grew and expanded. The conservation effort was a resounding success. Today, more than 100 years later, Yellowstone National Park alone has around 5,000 bison.

If you’re hoping to see some of these amazing creatures, you are in the right place. If you haven’t seen any bison yet, you probably will soon.

And, speaking of bison, that brings us to one of the other reasons why certain areas in the park may smell, uh, not-so-fresh. 

Eat. Walk. Eat. Walk. Daily life for a bison is a repetitious affair. Just walking and eating, day after day… this leads to quite a lot of tell-tale deposits, if you catch my drift. 

Yup, I’m talking about bison droppings. Or as they say in the scientific community, scat. There’s often quite a lot of it in the park. And that’s a good thing, if you’re a scientist. 

Experts can learn a lot from scat–including the type of animal, its health, diet, migration patterns, and more. But amateurs can learn a lot from these smelly “landmines,” too. Actually, learning to understand tracks, like scat, animal prints, and hair is so useful, it’s one of the courses offered by the Yellowstone Forever Institute.

Unfortunately, Yellowstone critters aren’t always so concerned about where they do their business. So, while you’re out exploring, you might wanna watch your step.

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