Never mind what the unofficial anthem of the American West says about buffalo roaming—this type of bovid is not found on U.S. soil. What we have stateside, making up the best-known herds in Yellowstone National Park and on Catalina Island, are bison.
Though bison are sometimes colloquially called buffalo, the two are biologically different, unconnected in their ranges, and can be told apart by a few distinguishing physical features. Here's everything you need to know about the two oft-confused families of ancient grazing giants.
Buffalo and Bison Classification
Buffalo and bison belong to the tribe Bovini, which includes medium to massive animals of the Bovidae family. The Bovidae family also includes antelopes, gazelles, goats, and sheep.
While a number of Bovini species are commonly called buffalo or bison (the anoa a "dwarf buffalo" and the gaur "Indian bison," for example), there are only four true bison and buffalo species.
American bison (Bison bison) roam in Yellowstone and are portrayed on the National Park Service's arrowhead emblem and the U.S. Department of the Interior's seal. They're the heaviest land animals in North America and, since 2016, the U.S.'s national mammal, joining the patriotic ranks of its national bird, the bald eagle. READ MORE...
Great Smoky Mountains National Park has had the market cornered on synchronous fireflies for years. But thanks to a relatively recent discovery, the Blue Ridge Mountains just might give it a run for its money.
The Photinus carolinus is a species of firefly that each year, typically in the spring, put on a synchronous light display in order to find a mate. They are the only species in America whose individuals can synchronize their flashing light patterns. |
| CREDIT: JIM MAGRUDER |
For decades, it was believed that the Smokies had the only population of synchronous fireflies in U.S. And while synchronous fireflies were eventually identified in Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and in two other parts of Tennessee, the Smokies have always gotten the glory. In fact, the annual viewing event at the Elkmont Campground in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, is so popular that the National Park Service instituted a lottery system for tickets.
So, you can imagine how surprised Dr. Clyde Sorenson, a professor of entomology at N.C. State University, was by what he saw when he spent the night on Grandfather Mountain in June 2019.
"I noticed them immediately by their flash pattern—they were synchronous. By 10 p.m. there were hundreds of them. I walked up and down the roads and they were all through the woods. It thrilled me to death," Sorenson told the Asheville Citizen-Times. TO READ MORE ABOUT THESE FIREFLIES, CLICK HERE...
GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WZTV) — Great Smoky Mountain National Park Service is warning visitors to keep their distance from elk in the park as breeding season is gearing up.
Elk are the largest animals in the national park, attracting visitors from all over. But as fall nears, males, or "bulls," are ready for the rut.
"This season is highly anticipated, as bulls begin to mate and make their notorious bugling calls to challenge other males," GSMNPS wrote.
During the rut, park rangers say elk behavior is unpredictable and bulls have been known to charge at people and cars.
All fields are closed to pedestrian traffic this time of year. People should stay near or inside their vehicles. Dogs should be kept on leashes.
What To Do via the GSMNPS:- Use binoculars, a telephoto lens, or spotting scope for close-up views
- Keep at least 50 yards between you and them
- Use your thumb: Extend your arm, raise your thumb, and close one eye. If your thumb covers the entire animal, you’re a safe distance away.
Learn more about elk in the Smokie here.
