America’s bison fell from tens of millions to 1,000; tribes are bringing them back

Bison, once numbering in the tens of millions across North America, now remain a mere 1,000 in the wild. These massive creatures, revered by indigenous cultures, have been the subject of two Smithsonian exhibitions coinciding with America's 250th anniversary. The first, "Bison: Standing Strong", opened on May 7 and will continue until May 2029, tracing the animal's evolutionary history and its relationship with Native American tribes.

The second exhibition, "Imagining Bison", presents artifacts, documents, and photographs that highlight the significance of the bison in cultural and historical contexts. These exhibitions aim to showcase the animal's enduring impact on ecosystems, culture, and history.

Historical records indicate that bison were hunted to near-extinction by the late 1880s, primarily due to the arrival of settlers, western expansion, and industrialization. Bison meat not only fed workers building the Transcontinental Railroad but also served as a coveted material for American and European manufacturers. The Smithsonian's "Standing Strong" exhibition even features an image of a man standing atop a pile of skulls, symbolizing the mass slaughter of bison in Michigan Carbon Works.

Today, the United States is home to approximately 500,000 bison, with the majority residing in commercial herds. However, conservation efforts spearheaded by Native American tribes and conservation organizations have successfully reintroduced bison to their ancestral lands. These efforts have resulted in the recovery of the American bison population, with reintroduction efforts now spreading across Montana, South Dakota, and Colorado.

In addition, over 60 tribes are actively involved in restoring buffalo to their lands, with the Intertribal Buffalo Council, managed by Ervin Carlson, overseeing an 800-animal herd for the Blackfeet Nation in Montana.