A striking image of an American bison, captured nearly two decades ago by wildlife photographer Tom Murphy, will soon adorn a United States postage stamp. The photo, taken in Yellowstone National Park’s Hayden Valley during the annual bison breeding season, symbolizes the species’ remarkable resilience.
A Symbol of Survival
Bison stand as one of the last surviving megafauna from the Pleistocene epoch, a period when massive creatures like mammoths and dire wolves roamed the Earth. Unlike those extinct giants, bison weathered both natural extinction events and near-total annihilation by human hunting. By the early 20th century, their numbers dwindled to just 300; today, conservation efforts have brought the population back to nearly 500,000 across North America. This recovery is a testament to both the bison’s hardiness and the power of conservation.
Murphy’s photograph features a young bull bison, caught in a moment of observation as it peers over a hill at the larger, more dominant males during the rut. This scene encapsulates the animal’s primal struggle for survival, a theme that resonates deeply with the bison’s history.
Photographer’s Lifelong Dedication
Tom Murphy, the photographer behind the image, has spent decades documenting Yellowstone’s wildlife. His roots in the American West run deep, raised on a vast cattle ranch in South Dakota, where he first developed a reverence for the landscape and its inhabitants. He traded chemistry studies for a camera, choosing instead to immerse himself in the wild, capturing the raw beauty of nature.
Murphy’s work extends beyond Yellowstone. Over 50 years, he has photographed wildlife across the globe, from Antarctica to Africa. Yet, Yellowstone remains his central focus, a place he has traversed on foot, skis, and even by helicopter (once to the point of motion sickness).
A Changing Yellowstone
Despite the honor of seeing his work on a national stamp, Murphy expresses concern over the accelerating changes within Yellowstone. Human-induced climate change is driving more frequent and intense wildfires, disrupting ecosystems and forcing animals to adapt. Rising temperatures impact migration patterns, habitat availability, and the survival of species like the pika, one of Murphy’s favorite subjects.
“To be honest, there’s probably creatures and landscapes I will never see again,” Murphy says.
The new stamp is a reminder of what remains, but also a stark warning about what could be lost. Murphy hopes his photographs inspire greater awareness and action toward preserving these iconic landscapes and the creatures that call them home.
The postage stamp is expected to be released later this year, serving as a lasting tribute to the bison’s endurance and a call to protect its future.
