A series of aerial surveys in June and July led Park officials to estimate a total population of 3,300 bison: 2,800 adults and 500 calves. The population is about equally distributed between the Central Interior and Northern Range herds.

That tally is slightly more than the 2007 summer estimate of 3,000 bison last summer and 2,900 adult and yearlings earlier this year. The peak population estimate of 4,900 bison was recorded in the summer 2005.

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