Plains bison were reduced from 30 million to fewer than 1,000 by the 1880s; modern conservation efforts have restored some populations but welfare challenges remain.
Wild conservation bison experience welfare close to their natural evolutionary context — wide-ranging movement, complex social groups, and seasonal foraging. Ranch-managed bison face greater welfare compromises: fencing restricts range, supplemental feeding reduces natural foraging, and handling for branding or vaccination imposes acute stress. Genuinely wild herds that experience the full spectrum of natural challenges — including harsh winters and predation — arguably have better welfare than managed ranch populations despite facing natural suffering.