Bison grazing, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA
The bison embodies a fascinating paradox: immense strength coupled with serene calm. Weighing up to 900 kilos and almost two meters tall, these giants roam the prairies and river valleys of North America in groups. In Yellowstone National Park in the United States, herds descended from the millions that once populated the continent can still be seen. Its near extinction in the nineteenth century transformed ecosystems and traditional ways of life.
For numerous native peoples, the bison has been a teacher, provider, and spiritual symbol. Each part of the animal was used for food, clothing, or making tools. Today, these same communities lead their recovery in natural habitats, where they live in the wild with their young and under the guidance of adult females.
To contemplate a bison is to witness the union between past and present, a lesson in resistance and harmony with nature. Interestingly, its European relative, the European bison, was reintroduced after disappearing in the wild and can also be seen in nature reserves in Spain, such as Palencia or Castilla-La Mancha.
