New webcam shows live views of Illinois bison herd

WILMINGTON, Ill. (AP) - A new web camera is now available for those who want to see live views of the bison herd on federal prairie land in northern Illinois.

The U.S. Forest Service's Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie and the National Forest Foundation said Friday that the new camera covers areas where the bison have been known to graze.

The herd was introduced at the prairie near Wilmington in October 2015 as part of a 20-year experiment in restoring the landscape to native tallgrass. Researchers are monitoring the herd and prairie to collect data.

The bison camera is about 25 feet above ground. It provides streaming high-definition video and is connected to the internet via wireless signal. Forest Service officials say it uses solar power. It will operate 24 hours a day, every day.