City of Hays Adds New Bison to Historic Frontier Park Herd
Strategic breeding initiative aims to maintain genetic diversity and long-term health of animals that have called the park home since 1953.
HAYS, Kan. — The City of Hays Parks Department has introduced new bison to the historic herd at Frontier Historical Park in a strategic move to ensure the animals' long-term health and prevent inbreeding. The initiative, conducted in partnership with a local rancher, brings fresh genetics to the population that has been a community fixture since 1953, when the herd was originally established with a bull named Wild Bill and a cow named Calamity Jane.
Parks Director Jeff Boyle emphasized the importance of maintaining genetic diversity for the thriving population, calling it essential stewardship that honors the bison's legacy in Ellis County. The herd serves as both a regional attraction and symbol of the Great Plains, with the recent additions aligning with broader conservation goals across the region. City officials are encouraging residents to visit Frontier Historical Park, located south of downtown Hays, to observe the new herd members from a safe distance outside the fence line.
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