• Home
  • About Us
  • Where We Work
  • Our Initiatives
  • News Room
  • Blog
  • My Nature Page

Reintroduction of Bison to Iowa, bison diary header

 

Bison calves, Broken Kettle Grasslands Preserve, Iowa

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.

Bison History
The bison population was decimated in the 1800s to almost extinction. However, a handful survived and have served as the basis for our repopulation to areas where the “buffalo roamed.” More history.

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 reintroduction at Broken Kettle Grasslands Preserve, Iowa

Trap Pasture: October 28, 2008

We released the bison out onto the 125-acre trap pasture yesterday. With 35-40 onlookers of staff, donors, conservation partners and neighbors, we opened the gates to let the bison out. The bison were calm and collective eventually making their way out the gate and onto the hillside.

Our bison are doing well; they are fat and happy. We have had no problems and we look forward to an uneventful winter.

We have had a stream of visitors to Broken Kettle Grasslands preserve since the bison have arrived. Many people have stopped in at the visitor’s center and office. Currently, visitors can see the bison in the trap pasture from 234 Street, a gravel road overlooking the trap pasture.

Other Entries:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Images (top to bottom, left to right): Bison reintroduction at Broken Kettle Grasslands Preserve, Iowa © 2008 Sean McMahon/TNC; Bison calves at Broken Kettle Grasslands preserve, Iowa © 2008 Elizabeth Niven/TNC