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Reintroduction of Bison to Iowa, history of bison header

 

spring calf at Lame Johnny Creek Ranch, South Dakota

Reintroduction of Bison to Iowa, call to action button

The reintroduction of bison on the largest, contiguous native prairie in Iowa is a celebration of the progress that the Conservancy has made in Iowa, with your help. Please support this ongoing, important program.

Current Bison Population
Most bison are in private ownership. Many reside in our public parks and conservation areas. Where are the bison?

The Nature Conservancy Herds
The Conservancy has a rich but relatively brief history with bison. The first herd of 18 bison was acquired in 1984 at the Samuel H. Ordway Memorial Prairie in South Dakota. The Conservancy manages almost 5,000 bison at their eight preserves. Conservancy bison preserves.

Grasslands Worldwide
Broken Kettle Grasslands Preserve is a globally unique landscape. By maintaining and restoring areas in the Loess Hills, the Conservancy and partners are conserving the least protected habitat on Earth, with only 2 percent of native grasslands remaining. Learn more about other grasslands around the world.

bison at Lame Johnny Creek Ranch, South Dakota

Prior to European settlement of North America, bison were one of the most numerous large grazing animals, numbering between 30 and 60 million.

Historically, plains bison ranged from the Allegheny Mountains to the Rockies, and from Canada to Northern Mexico. Woodland bison ranged farther west and north into Northwest Territories of Canada. Download a North American bison range map [PDF, 178KB].

Bison were extirpated east of the Mississippi River by the early 1830s. Systematic reduction between 1830 and 1874 destroyed the southern Plains herds. Between 1876 and 1883, the northern Plains herds were destroyed. A census in 1905 indicates that there were 835 wild bison and 256 bison in captivity.

A combination of government and private efforts in the U.S. and Canada brought the bison back from the brink of extinction with sanctuaries, zoos and parks becoming safe havens for bison and helping increase their numbers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Images (top to bottom, left to right): bison at Lame Johnny Creek Ranch, South Dakota, spring calf at Lame Johnny Creek Ranch, South Dakota © Bob Paulson/TNC