Among the most breathtaking of wildlife in Santa Catalina, you will see bison. Bison babies are common sites around the springtime. This brings us to the next question: how did Bison arrive in Santa Catalina? To our knowledge, bison aren’t known for underwater travel. The answer is, of course, Hollywood. In 1924, filmmaker William Farnum was filming “The Vanishing American.” He brought along his 14 bison for filming. Wouldn’t you know, rounding up these wild animals after shooting proved to be an arduous task. (Maybe they had creative differences with the director?) In any event, Farnum left the bison on the island to roam freely.
What evidence is there to support this claim? Well, none. In fact, the Catalina Island Museum has never found any evidence of bison in the finished movie. Either the scenes were left on the cutting room floor or someone started an urban legend! Nevertheless, it’s generally accepted that bison were brought onto the island for a special purpose. Some believe the movie might have been “Thundering Herd” or the “Covered Wagon.” Regardless, by the 1930s the bison population increased to 19. Thirty more bison were brought in to supplement the herd.
Nowadays, there are about 300-400 bison. The population is controlled, so as not to overrun the island and upset the ecological balance. However, all culling is done on the mainland not in the island. Nevertheless, you can find bison burgers and bison chili in local restaurants. Occasionally, tourists are excited to see bison pop up in the most unusual of places—like on a mini-golf course or on the beach. This usually happens because of herd separation (for example, a young or older bull runs away from the herd)
Bison (not buffalo, thank you!) are a fascinating part of the island’s culture. Come see free roaming bison for yourself!
