Riders round up bison on Antelope Island
Riders on horseback herd bison during an annual roundup, Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018, on Antelope Island, Utah. Utah State Parks workers are moving the animals from across the island so they can be weighed, tagged and given health checkups. Antelope Island is on the Great Salt Lake, approximately 41 miles north of Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
The Antelope Island Bison Roundup — a fall tradition in Utah — took place Saturday, with horseback riders pushing the large animals from the Fielding Garr Ranch north to holding corrals near Whiterock Bay.
In all, about 700 bison were expected to be rounded up on the island, a state park located near Syracuse in Davis County. The herd will rest for a few days and then each animal will be checked, one at a time, receiving vaccinations and health screenings. They also receive a small external computer chip to store health information.
Each year, between 100 and 150 calves are born on the 28,000-acre island, creating a herd that is too large for the available food supply. To keep things in check, about 200 animals are sold at an auction, which will be held this year on Nov. 10
The revenue generated through the sale is used for operating costs, habitat improvements and research. Some funds also go toward fire protection and weed management.
For over 150 years, The Salt Lake Tribune has been Utah’s independent news source. Our reporters work tirelessly to uncover the stories that matter most to Utahns, from unraveling the complexities of court rulings to allowing tax payers to see where and how their hard earned dollars are being spent. This critical work wouldn’t be possible without people like you—individuals who understand the importance of local, independent journalism. As a nonprofit newsroom, every subscription and every donation fuels our mission, supporting the in-depth reporting that shines a light on the is sues shaping Utah today.
You can help power this work.
