Native Tribes Lead Effort to Restore Bison Across America's Great Plains

Once numbering in the tens of millions, North American bison were driven to near extinction by widespread hunting and westward expansion during the 1800s, with populations plummeting to around 1,000. Bison hold deep cultural and spiritual significance for indigenous communities, who regard them as a symbol of ecological and ancestral heritage. In recent decades, sustained conservation efforts have helped bison numbers recover significantly. Native tribes and conservation organizations are now collaborating to reintroduce bison to their historic habitats across the Great Plains. These restoration efforts aim to revive both the ecological balance of the region and the cultural traditions tied to the animal.