Wildlife

Welfare of Wild Bison on Conservation Land

Bison reintroduced to conservation reserves require welfare management balancing their need for wild ranging with population management and coexistence requirements.

Key Facts

American bison were reduced from 60 million to fewer than 1,000 by the late 1800s
Conservation herds now number about 30,000 on public and tribal lands
Bison need vast territories for natural grazing behavior not available on most reserves
Supplemental feeding creates welfare problems from abnormal crowding behavior
Rewilded bison populations in Europe are demonstrating successful landscape restoration

Welfare Considerations

Reintroduced bison welfare is best served by large territories that allow natural ranging and social behavior. Conservation herds confined to small reserves without adequate space develop welfare problems from crowding that management must proactively address.

What You Can Do

Support American Prairie Reserve and other bison rewilding projects
Donate to tribal bison programs restoring bison to indigenous lands
Advocate for large-scale bison conservation reserve expansion
Visit facilities with space-appropriate bison management to support conservation revenue