Wind Cave National Park
Bison are large herd animals that defend their young vigorously. American bison can run up to per hour and are surprisingly agile, in addition to their notable strength and irritable temperament. However, there are limited numbers of potential apex predators of these bison. Significant apex predators that could help control the bison population would include brown bear, grizzly bear, and wolves, and these are currently absent from the area. Wind Cave National Park by itself, at 33,847 acres, might not be large enough for a viable population of predators; however it is part of a much larger area of extended grassland prairie. Other large mammals found in the area include elk, coyotes, bobcats, deer, and pronghorn. Competitive pressure from the other large grazing mammals in Wind Cave National Park might also help limit the number of bison in the herd, but this is not considered to have a significant effect on bison numbers.