Fermilab's Bison Enjoy Chicago's Thunderstorms

By Chuck Sudo in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 19, 2013 3:30PM

Fermilab, in addition to discovering new subatomic particles at a record pace even after shutting down their Tevatron particle collider, is one of the Chicago area's great wildlife treasures. Fermilab has restored and maintained its 6,800 acre campus to accommodate a variety of wildlife, including birds, butterflies and bison.

The bison are especially popular with Fermilab's visitors. Robert Wilson, Fermilab's first director, brought a bull and five cows to the site in 1967. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources turned over another 21 bison to Fermilab four years later. Wilson wanted the bison and Fermilab's other conservation efforts to serve as ties to Illinois' prairie roots. Today's herd are descendants of those original bison.

Here's a photo of some of Fermilab's bison frolicking in Thursday's rainstorms that flooded the Chicago area. With all the dire and dour news dominating today's headlines, we can use something to cheer us up. (Click on the image to enlarge.)

Photo credit: Jesus Orduna, Rice University