Fermilab’s bison herd has a baby boom
Sun-Times Media June 22, 2012 2:04PM
Fermilab welcomes the public to view its herd of American bison, commonly known as buffalo. The herd grazes on a pasture half a mile from Wilson Hall, Fermilab’s 16-story administrative building. | Courtesy of Fermilab
Updated: July 25, 2012 6:16AM
BATAVIA — Five bison calves have been born at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in the past few weeks.
Fermilab is inviting the public to view the newest members of the American bison herd as they roam the prairie lands at the lab in Batavia.
Fermilab’s first director, Robert Wilson, established the bison herd in 1969 as a symbol of the history of the Midwestern prairie and the laboratory’s pioneering research at the frontiers of particle physics.
Today, the bison remain a major attraction for families and wildlife enthusiasts. With the new additions, the herd numbers 25.
Visitors can learn more about nature at Fermilab by hiking the Interpretive Prairie Trail, a half-mile-long trail near the Pine Street entrance. The Leon Lederman Science Education Center offers exhibits on the prairie and hands-on physics displays.
Visitors can enter the Fermilab site through the Pine Street entrance in Batavia or the Batavia Road entrance in Warrenville.
Admission is free, but a valid photo ID is necessary to enter the site. Summer hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week.
