Witness private conservation at work during a Wild West "buffalo safari"

Not since the days depicted in Dances with Wolves have travelers to the American West enjoyed the sight of hundreds of bison roaming freely on the plains. Until now. Nigel Turner, owner of the 165-square-mile Grand Canyon Ranch at the West Rim of the Grand Canyon, has introduced wild bison to his private guest ranch. "Growing up in Manchester, England, I watched Western movies and fantasized about the Wild West," says Turner. "My lifelong dream has now come true by owning a magnificent ranch and the opportunity to introduce the buffalo back into the American wilderness. It is so gratifying to see the excited faces of visitors when they see the Buffalo in their natural habitat rather than in a zoo."

The ranch offers guests and visitors the opportunity to see the animals, which can grow to 2,000 pounds, during so-called "buffalo safaris" on horseback or horse-drawn wagon. "There is a deep emotional connection that Americans have seeing buffalo not only preserved but growing and thriving in a secluded and protected natural environment," says Turner, who welcomes the opportunity to be a steward of these endangered beasts. "The Buffalo is part of us--they are enshrined in the hopes and dreams of the Wild West, and we simply cannot allow them to be lost forever."