Of the remaining American bison population, approximately 500,000 individuals are managed as livestock by private commercial ventures, while conservation herds are comprised of around 30,000 individuals. While bison have made a comeback since their population was devastated over 100 years ago, the species is still heavily dependent on conservation action for survival. government slaughtered many bison in an organized effort to destroy the livelihood of Plains Indians.Ĭonservation threats to American bison include habitat loss, hybridization in managed populations and low genetic diversity among individual herds.
However, by the 1890s, there were fewer than 1,000 of these animals left on the continent.
Bison were once a major source of meat and hides in the United States they formed the basis of the economy for a number of Native American tribes. While most were west of the Mississippi ranging to the Rocky Mountains, some were found east of the river in forested areas. Before 1800, bison roamed the Great Plains in vast numbers estimates range from 30 to 100 million.
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