World Wildlife Day 2025 is a reminder that all wildlife matters. American Bison are a success story, but every species we save today will matter tomorrow.
American Bison on the Tallgrass Prairie – Canon R7, handheld, f10, 1/500, ISO 1600, +0.3 EV, Canon EF 100-400mm II at 400mm, natural light
Today is World Wildlife Day, a day set to recognize the value of wildlife—something that can’t be measured in numbers or dollars. This year’s theme focuses on the incalculable worth of wildlife, and if there’s one animal that proves the point in North America, it’s the American Bison.
Once nearly wiped out, American Bison have made an incredible comeback thanks to conservation efforts. Seeing one, or a large herd, cross a gravel road at Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in Oklahoma isn’t just a great photo opportunity—it’s proof that species on the brink can recover if given the chance. It’s a reminder of what’s possible when people step up.
Loose Bison sign at Oklahoma’s Tallgrass Prairie – Canon R7, handheld, f8, 1/2500, ISO 3200, Canon EF 100-400mm II at 330mm, natural light
Even the “Loose Bison” signs at the preserve tells a story. Not long ago, there weren’t many American Bison left to be “loose” anywhere. Now, they roam in places where they belong. That’s a win, but it shouldn’t stop with them.
Every species has a role, whether we recognize that or not. The wildlife we save today—no matter how big, small, or overlooked—will be critical in ways we don’t yet understand.
Let’s make sure future generations inherit a world where American Bison still roam, birds still sing, and ecosystems still function the way they’re supposed to.
World Wildlife Day isn’t just about celebrating the successes. It’s about making sure we have more of them.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my American Bison photos plus facts and information about this species.
What a magnificent beastie! I love your Bison shots. We were in Yellowstone last year and watched a couple male Bison standoff against each other. They were practically nose-to-nose. We thought for sure there was going to be a battle…but they ended up just walking away. One of the Bison was a bit smaller than the other and was the first to break off. In this instance, clearly discretion was the better part of valor. Thanks Mia.
Such majestic and powerful creatures. We need to preserve wild life before it’s too late
Mia, So well said, sister. I can remember, 70 years ago in Saskatchewan, sitting on a tiny scrap of remnant prairie watching Burrowing Owls and listening to Chestnut-collared Longspurs singing from a Sage plant, thinking what it must have been liking when the Bison were there. Fifty years later, I was photographing a shrike in Grasslands National Park, when two shaggy bison emerged from the shallow coulee beside the road and stared at me staring at them in disbelief, crying with tears of joy. I shared their company only briefly. Bison were reintroduced to the the park a few years before. Similarly, I remember when Whooping Crane numbers were very low, and again with conservation efforts, I saw 135 on one day in October in Saskatchewan 10 years ago! Yes, conservation works ..Nature can heal itself if we give it a chance, and can heal us too if we let it. Thank you for being such a passionate and eloquent advocate for Nature.