Page 28 - ARUBA TODAY

A28 SCIENCE
Friday 17 February 2017

Bison, cars endangered by deep snow in Wyoming’s Grand Teton

MEAD GRUVER of snow that accumulated
Associated Press recently.
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Vehicles have killed at least
Unusually deep snow in one and possibly two bison
Grand Teton National Park in the park so far this year
has made life dangerous after cars and trucks killed
for bison lumbering on the five in all of 2016. On Satur-
park’s only plowed high- day, a truck killed a bison
way and for motorists trav- on U.S. Highway 26-89-191.
eling the route, prompting A bison hit in January has
park workers to escort the yet to be found.
big animals to safer areas Hoping to prevent a run of
and urge drivers to slow collisions that can be just
down, park officials said as dangerous for motorists,
Tuesday. park officials in trucks guid-
The problem is that bison, ed small groups of bison
which can weigh up to along several miles of the
2,000 pounds, prefer to highway twice over the last
use the road rather than four days.
struggle through the 3 feet “They’re definitely very

In this Feb. 4, 2017 photo provided by Grand Teton National Park, three bison linger on a plowed
area of Antelope Flats Road, in Grand Teton National Park, Wyo.
Associated Press
tired. So we make a long, the Rocky Mountain region the snow covered up their
slow escort to get them this winter. Oregon wildlife natural food.
to safer areas,” said park officials recently killed five Then even more snow fell:
spokeswoman Denise Ger- cougars that left the snowy So far this month, Jackson
mann. wilderness to feed on pets Hole at the base of the
Park officials also plowed a and chickens in a town. Teton Range in the park
side road they usually don’t Wintry weather in the Rock- has been walloped with
bother clearing to help bi- ies also has been unusually more than 30 inches in a
son move to areas with less hazardous for antelope, series of storms.
snow covering the shrubs which have been stranded The snow and wind cut off
and grass they like to eat. on river ice, and horses un- electricity to parts of the
Moose have also been lucky enough to get stuck popular resort area and
spotted taking advan- out in deepening snows. closed Jackson Hole Moun-
tage of the plowed route On the National Elk Refuge tain Resort for five days.
through Grand Teton, Ger- just south of Grand Teton, Normally jubilant about
mann said. supplemental feeding of extreme weather, ski resort
Deep snow has put wild elk and bison with alfalfa officials reopened Monday
animals in close quarters pellets began three weeks after the big hit at peak
with people elsewhere in earlier than usual because season.q