The Big Picture

Perhaps no species is as emblematic of the North American grasslands as the plains bison, once described as “innumerable” in number by the early 19th century European explorers of the Great Plains. Today, the plains bison is not only ecologically extinct, but it is also threatened by the erosion of the wild bison genome. Only about 19,000 bison, or 4%, of the estimated 500,000 plains bison now in North America, live in some 50 conservation herds, and no herd in the Great Plains is free ranging. The majority of these conservation herds are not being managed to preserve genetic elements over time.

Another problem for the bison genome is the hybridization of bison and domestic cattle. At the turn of the century, bison were crossbred with cattle in the hopes of mixing cattle’s domesticity with bison’s hardiness. Recent scientific findings show the extensive impacts of hybridization; of the 500,000 bison alive today, fewer than 7,000 are non-hybridized.

Progress to Date

On a cold and rainy night, not long past midnight on October 20, 2005, 16 bison stepped back onto the Montana prairie after an absence of over 120 years. APF and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) staff watched as the bison began to graze in the holding pasture, acclimating to their new home before being turned out onto APF’s land. In April of 2006, APF and WWF welcomed 5 new baby bison to the Reserve, and in October 2006 a second group of 20 bison arrived from Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota.

Our herd currently totals 67 healthy bison. Seven calves were born between April and June 2007.

APF and WWF are now working to ensure that the new herd is healthy and well cared for. Data is being collected to guide management of the herd and future restoration work. To lead this management, APF, with the help of WWF, has developed a comprehensive, peer-reviewed reintroduction plan. In addition, APF and WWF have assembled a panel of advisors, which includes some of the most highly regarded scientists and bison managers in the country. Importantly, APF is also working with neighboring ranches to develop a mutual understanding of its management goals. Through this unique collaboration, bison and cattle will coexist on the prairie under neighborly relations that minimize potential conflict.

Next Steps

APF and WWF will continue translocating bison from Wind Cave National Park over the next two years. We plan to expand the 2,600 acre existing bison range as the herd grows. We continue to remove old barbed-wire fence and construct new fences designed specifically to manage bison and to allow for the free movement of wildlife. Also, WWF is beginning monitoring programs to track the herd and the land’s health and vitality.

To see photos of our herd and our five newest additions, please see our Bison Photos page.

Support our bison today! Make an online donation.