Catalina Island's North American Bison

More than a century ago, William Wrigley Jr. set out to create a “playground for all” on Catalina Island. Today, nearly one million people from all walks of life visit Catalina each year to enjoy everything from a relaxing day at Descanso Beach Club to an exciting ride on the Zip Line Eco Tour. But perhaps the most unique experience that continues to attract people to this beautiful island paradise is the opportunity to see American Bison, the United States’ National Mammal since 2016.

Catalina’s American bison, sometimes referred to as buffalo, are descendants of a small herd left on the island by a movie crew in the 1920s. Left free to roam and reproduce, that’s exactly what they did. Over the years, more than 2,000 bison have been transported off the island and returned to their natural habitat, including nearly 500 that were re-introduced to Native American reservations that hadn’t seen bison in more than a century. Today the Catalina Island Conservancy maintains Catalina's American bison herd at about 150 to protect both the bison and the island’s landscape.

For a chance to see Catalina’s American Bison in the wild, check out Catalina Island Company’s Bison Expedition. This exciting backcountry tour, which takes you through favorite bison grazing grounds aboard an open-air Hummer, is unlike any experience you’ll find on Catalina.