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Bison calves, Broken Kettle Grasslands Preserve, Iowa

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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 at Broken Kettle Grasslands Preserve, Iowa

More Rain: October 24, 2008

It has rained more than 4 inches in the last couple of days. Needless to say, the corral is muddy. Eric Robley and I have been concerned about the welfare of our new herd and especially worried about pneumonia in the calves because of the weather and stress from shipping. It is still raining this morning and we decided to let them out into a small holding pen on the south side of the corrals. There they can at least get onto a small hillside and out of the mud for a little while.

While bison are very hardy animals, we want to provide them with some comfort! This is an unexpected development, but I think the right choice, just a few days sooner than we had planned. We have been watching the herd closely and so far they appear relaxed and content. It is still such a novelty to see our own bison on Broken Kettle Grasslands.

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