Staff and volunteers spent weeks preparing for the roundup. Bison were herded into holding pens (left), into the rounded tub (front), and into individual holding pens (right) before entering a squeeze chute.
Bison were moved through holding pens in small groups.
Bison were moved from the holding pens into a circular enclosure called a tub. A gate (left) was slowly moved around the tub to herd bison into individual chutes (gray gate in center of photo).
The bison were moved one at a time into the squeeze chute, which safely holds the bison still while staff administer routine vaccinations and tests.
State director Todd Sampsell scanned the bison for an ID chip. The chip provides information about each bison, such as its age and whether it's being sold or traded to another herd.
After each bison was identified, conservation assistant Hilary Haley (front left) relayed key data to the veterinarian and the handlers. Preserve assistant Dennis Perkins operated the squeeze chute controls (center).
Through a collaboration with Stephen Blake, a researcher with Washington University and the Max Planck Institute of Ornithology, some bison were fitted with tracking collars. The data collected will shed light on the herd's impact on vegetation, helping determine the optimum herd size.
After just a few minutes in the squeeze chute, the bison were released into the corral.
The bison were later released back onto the open prairie, where they are benefitting native plants, birds, insects, and other animals.