Bison

Bison are among the large animals moving back toward their old range in Hig’s post-collapse world. Their return offers a concrete sign of ecological change, but not a simple restoration: other species, including trout and elk, are gone.

Sighting at the Airstrip

As Hig and Pops prepare to take off, they spot three Bison grazing at the end of the strip. The animals’ hides are still patched and ragged from winter. The brief sighting places wildlife directly in the space of human travel and survival: the airstrip is both a working route and part of a landscape animals are reclaiming.

Return and Ecological Change

Hig observes that Bison are moving down to their old range, alongside wolves and bighorn sheep. This movement contrasts with losses he names in the same reflection: trout and elk have disappeared. The return of large animals therefore marks a change in distribution, not proof that the earlier ecosystem has been restored. The evidence presents renewal and extinction together, without allowing one to cancel the other.

A Human Image of Winter

Elsewhere, Hig’s worn appearance is likened to that of winterworn Bison. The comparison connects his patched, threadbare look with the animals’ ragged coats, briefly making the human survivor and the returning wildlife figures of the same harsh season. It also gives the Bison an image-bearing presence beyond their role as a sign of ecological change.