In an incident that might sound like something out of a quirky movie scene, but very much a reality in Northern Michigan, a disruption of the usual traffic flow occurred on US-31. A bison, or initially thought to be a buffalo, made a grand stand right in the middle of the highway in Grand Traverse County. Grand Traverse 911 took to social media to advise drivers, with a message that reads, "please slow down in that area. No need to call us, we have units on the way," as CBS News Detroit reported.
The safety of both humans and the wandering bison became a priority, leading to humorous yet precautionary advice from local dispatchers: "Nobody find that with your car, would be a terrible time." This comment, coming from an agency well aware of the significant risks large animals on the roads pose, was part of a conversation that gained traction across social media platforms, as mentioned in the same CBS News Detroit article. Jokes aside, real concern permeated the online discourse.
It turns out this bison was one of several that had escaped the confines of their pasture at Oleson's Buffalo Farm earlier that day. As reported by upnorthlive, Lieutenant Jon Morgan from the Grand Traverse Sheriff's Office confirmed the escape, stating a deputy responded to reports of the bison on the road at around 11 a.m. last Friday.
The returned bison to their pasture was eventually facilitated with the assistance of Michigan State Police troopers and a local "herder." As per the information obtained by upnorthlive, it took a coordinated effort to clear the way for traffic, which had experienced significant disruptions due to the presence of these hefty animals. Dispatch's advice to the public was clear and straightforward: "Please don’t pet it or hit it with your car," a precaution echoed by officials across different platforms in hopes to ensure everyone's safety, including that of the bison, as reported by mlive.
A final nod to the situation was given by an alert from Grand Traverse 911 as mlive shared, emphasizing to motorists the need to stay in their vehicles and "drive by the bison slowly." Through quick response and community cooperation, the situation was resolved, the bison secured back in their home pasture, and the highway reopened, allowing the natural order of traffic to resume on US-31.
