South Dakota Welcomes an Influx of Bison From a World Famous Spot

Over the years, tens of thousands of South Dakotans have made the trek to Arizona to take in the majestic views of the Grand Canyon.

Now some former residents of the canyon are making the trip in reverse.

According to National Parks Traveler, officials at Grand Canyon National Park, working with the Intertribal Buffalo Council, have relocated 100 bison from the North Rim to the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.

The animals arrived in the Mount Rushmore State, last week (September 13).

The relocation is part of an effort to manage the bison population on the canyon's North Rim, which has grown from 100 animals the more than 600 at its peak.

The first relocations began in 2018, and has seen the removal of 306 bison from the North Rim, with 282 transferred to eight different American Indian tribes through an agreement with the Intertribal Buffalo Council.