Catalina Island Bison - Yes, because Hollywood put them there

This buffalo (bison) is probably happy to be on Santa Catalina, not freezing his hide off in Yellowstone Park this winter.

BUFFALO SEQUENCES DIDN'T MAKE THE FILM, 

BUT CATALINA'S BISON ARE STARS ON THEIR CALIFORNIA ISLAND

With the stunning Pacific Ocean as their backdrop, these bison roam, forage and take to the four-wheel roadways.

Editor's Note

This story was originally published: Feb 2016

updated July 8, 2026

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

"The Carpe Kiem Kids"

Most people visit Catalina Island for its beaches, crystal-clear water, and charming seaside town of Avalon. Few expect to find a herd of American bison grazing across the island's rolling hills. Introduced nearly a century ago for a Hollywood film, the Catalina Island bison have become one of the island's most recognizable attractions. A guided tour into Catalina's rugged interior offers breathtaking scenery, fascinating history, and the chance to see these impressive animals in their natural surroundings while learning how the herd is carefully managed to protect the island's unique ecosystem.

YEARS AGO, a Hollywood studio brought bison to Santa Catalina Island for a movie shoot.

The film was an obscure western penned by Zane Grey, the colorful writer who lived on Catalina for years.  It apparently didn't impress critics or the public, for it's tough to find much info about it.

And the bison's role in the 1925 silent film? Well, their "ready for my close-up moment" didn't make it to the Oscars.  In fact, the bison scenes languished on the cutting room floor.

And afterwards, 14 critters were left on the island, probably because they seemed content, and likely because it would have been costly to return them to the mainland, where they'd probably have a rougher life!

Scrubby bush and prickly pear cactus are the habitat of the Catalina bison.

So they did what bison do:  they ate, slept, wandered and reproduced!

TODAY, THE bison are thriving -- so much so that their numbers are kept in check by careful monitoring and birth control for fertile females.

The bison are, indeed, part of the lure and lore of modern day Catalina.....

They are, obviously, not native. But their charisma and ability to adapt have made them an item on the Catalina Island "visitor/must see" list for the better part of a century.

The Zane Grey western, "The Vanishing American," has not a single bison in it and, according to researchers, the film terrain does not  even remotely resemble Catalina.

This bison is sorry he isn't in Catalina. He's in Yellowstone.

WHAT IS KNOWN is that  the bison herd grew over the decades, to upwards of 600. The bison now number about 150, in a program monitored by the Catalina Island Conservancy. And because the bison have become "stars" in Catalina's culture, the Conservancy has no plans to remove them from the island.

The bison were to be part of a long ago Zane Grey movie.

Our guide, with native American ancestry, reminded us that bison are revered by the Indian people. (He talked to the beasts, thanking them for allowing us into their home.  He even called a couple of the larger ones by name.) The Conservancy has developed a bison-care partnership with the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, the Tongva. 7,000 years ago, they were Catalina's original inhabitants.

Some of the bison have been located to the colder climes of South Dakota. They're living out their lives on the Great Plains, on the Lakota's Rosebud Reservation -- where temperatures are at least 50 degrees average colder this time of year.

As one comes down from the buffalo area, one sees the Pacific and a beautiful vista of Catalina's Avalon harbor.

Summer 2026 tour information

The Bison Expedition remains one of Catalina's most popular excursions. It is an approximately 2-hour guided off-road adventure aboard an open-air Hummer-style vehicle that travels into areas of the island not accessible to the general public. Along the way, guides share the history of the bison, Catalina's wildlife, and conservation efforts.

For summer 2026, pricing is generally:

• Adults: about $99 per person

• Children: discounted pricing is typically available (age requirements vary by tour).

• Tours operate daily, but advance reservations are strongly recommended, especially from June through August because departures often sell out.

An interesting update for your blog: the Catalina bison herd is now much smaller than it once was. Conservation managers have stabilized the population to better protect the island's native habitat, making sightings even more special while balancing wildlife conservation.

For booking and the latest schedules, readers should visit the official Catalina Island activities page: Catalina Island Bison Expedition.

OUR KPBS station featured another solution for controlling the herd's growth.  In 2009, a Conservancy study determined that a herd of between 150 and 200 would be good for both the bison and the island. So the herd was given animal birth control to maintain the population at that ideal number -- around 150 animals.

The goal of the birth control -- inoculation to females over two years -- is to maintain herd size. Normally, it would increase by 15% or more each calving season, so birth control keeps numbers manageable and bison healthier.  That makes for less environmental damage to the land. And because the vaccine is non-hormonal, it does not harm the critters or change their social structures, according to the conservancy's education office. It is also reversible after about a year, should research determine that the island can sustain greater numbers.

For now, they're at home on the Catalina range.

A visit to Catalina Island isn't complete without searching for its famous bison. The journey into the island's protected interior reveals a side of Catalina that many visitors never experience—wide-open landscapes, native wildlife, panoramic ocean views, and the remarkable story of how these iconic animals became part of the island's history. Whether you're visiting for a day or a weekend, a bison tour is an adventure you'll remember long after the ferry ride home.

Coming up:  We bid adieu to Santa Catalina  Island with a look at other treasures you might miss on a quick visit.

Catalina Island's Airport in the Sky is worth the drive when you're looking for bison. Also take in the Wrigley Gardens.

The Catalina Airport -- also known as The Airport in the Sky -- is a charming place where you can watch small craft taxi in and out on the top-of-the-world runway, find good Mexican cooking in the cafe, and stroll through a nicely marked garden.

 Also, the Wrigley Botanical Gardens and Memorial to the generous philanthropist and bubble gum magnate is worth a few hours. It is home to 37 well maintained acres of native and specialty plants, plus a memorial with sweeping ocean views.

Remember to explore, learn and live and catch our post for the weekend at: www.whereiscookie.com