History and Status of Wild Ungulate Populations on the Northern Yellowstone Range
Open accessAbstract
Native bison and elk co-dominate the assemblage of wild ungulates on the Northern Range, one of the largest and most diverse assemblages of wild ungulates in the western hemisphere. The elk population on the Northern Range in 2018 is 30% larger than the natural, primeval population. The Northern Range bison population in 2018 is 10 times (1,000%) larger than the natural, primeval population. It is unlikely that bison and elk populations inside Yellowstone National Park will be reduced by increased predation by wolves, grizzly bears, or mountain lions because the populations of these carnivores are unlikely to increase - they are controlled currently by intraspecific competition for territory. National Park Service policy requires human intervention (i.e., active management) when unnaturally high numbers of native animals and their negative impacts are caused by humans. The unnaturally high numbers of bison and elk on the Northern Range today resulted from modern-day management decisions based on a misguided paradigm that did not acknowledge the ecological importance of hunting by Native Americans. We suggest that National Park Service personnel work collaboratively with federal, tribal, state, and private partners to develop an adaptive management strategy to purposely restore Northern Range bison and elk populations to their natural, primeval sizes.
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Bison numbers increased more than fourfold between 2004 and 2015.
“Bison numbers increased more than fourfold between 2004 and 2015, and their ecosystem effects have similarly increased,”
From Bison alter the northern Yellowstone ecosystem by breaking aspen saplings (2023) · cites this paper as Mosley & Mundinger, 2018
The Bison section (p. 2) reports rapid growth, with the Northern Range herd surpassing 1,000 in 2004 and 3,000 in 2013. It does not give a 2015 count or establish that the increase specifically from 2004 to 2015 exceeded fourfold. (LLM, conf=0.83)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredBison on the northern range increased from less than 1000 in the early 2000s to approximately 4000 animals in recent years despite annual culling.
“Bison on the northern range have increased from less than 1000 in the early 2000s to approximately 4000 animals in recent years (Figure 3) despite annual culling in winter as bison migrated outside the park boundary (Beschta et al., 2020; Geremia, 2022; Mosley & Mundinger, 2018; Plumb et al., 2009).”
From Bison alter the northern Yellowstone ecosystem by breaking aspen saplings (2023) · cites this paper as Mosley & Mundinger, 2018
Bison substantially increased in recent years, as have their effects on aspen, particularly where bison congregate in summer as in Lamar Valley.
“Bison, however, substantially increased in recent years (Mosley & Mundinger, 2018), as have their effects on aspen, particularly where bison congregate in summer as in the park's iconic Lamar Valley (Beschta et al., 2020; Kay, 2018).”
From Bison alter the northern Yellowstone ecosystem by breaking aspen saplings (2023) · cites this paper as Mosley & Mundinger, 2018
Moose numbers have been very low in the study area.
“but moose numbers have been very low in our study area (Mosley & Mundinger, 2018)”
From Bison alter the northern Yellowstone ecosystem by breaking aspen saplings (2023) · cites this paper as Mosley & Mundinger, 2018
Various lines of evidence suggest that significant numbers of bison did not occupy the Northern Range prior to the Park's establishment.
“While vast herds of bison historically utilized lower elevation valleys and plains outside the Park (Bailey 2013), various lines of evidence suggest that significant numbers of bison did not occupy the Northern Range prior to the Park’s establishment (Haines 1955; Mosley and Mundinger 2018; Beschta and Ripple 2019b; Keigley 2019).”
From A Century of Overabundant Ungulates in Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley: First Elk and Now Bison (2026) · cites this paper as Mosley and Mundinger 2018
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References 92 · Cited by 25
Research works printed but not linked: 9
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- [23]23. GATES, C.C., B. STELFOX, T. MUHLY, T. CHOWNS, AND R.J. HUDSON. 2005. The ecology of bison movements and distribution in and beyond Yellowstone National Park: a critical review with implications for winter use and transboundary population management. Calgary, AB, Canada: Faculty of Environmental Design, Univ. of Calgary. 241 p.
- [35]35. TUNNICLIFF, E.A., AND H. MARSH. 1935. Bang ' s disease in bison and elk in the Yellowstone National Park and on the National Bison Range. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 86:745-752.
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- [74]74. CAHALANE, V.H. 1943. Elk management and herd regulation -Yellowstone National Park. Transactions of the North American Wildlife Conference 8:95-101.
- [91]91. MOSLEY, J.C. 1999. Influence of social dominance on habitat selection by free-ranging ungulates. p. 109-118 In: Launchbaugh KL, Sanders KD, & Mosley JC, editors. Proceedings -Grazing Behavior of Livestock and Wildlife Symposium, University of Idaho Forest, Wildlife and Range Experiment Station Bulletin 70. Moscow, ID: University of Idaho. 147 p.
- [93]93. CRANE, K.K., J.C. MOSLEY, T.K. BREWER, W.L.F. TORSTENSON, AND M.W. TESS. 2001. Influence of cattle grazing on elk habitat selection. Proceedings Western Section American Society of Animal Science 52:160-164.
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- Authors
- Mosley, J. C., & Mundinger, J. G.
- Affiliations
- Montana State University (US)
- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (US)
- Corresponding author
- Mosley, Jeffrey C.
- ORCID
- Mosley, Jeffrey C.
- Venue
- Rangelands
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2018-12
- Volume
- 40
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 189-201
- ISSN
- 0190-0528 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2900712787
- Cited by
- 25
- References
- 92
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 5
- FWCI
- 2.26
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Rangelands (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- UA Campus Repository (The University of Arizona) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Rangeland and Wildlife Management
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law › American Environmental and Regional History
- Keywords
- wild ungulates, bison, elk, Yellowstone National Park, overpopulation, population restoration, adaptive management, Native American hunting, wildlife management policy, carnivore predation, intraspecific competition
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