American bison were nearly driven to extinction in the 19th century and restoration efforts are gradually returning them to prairie ecosystems, bringing ecological and welfare benefits.
Bison thriving in restored prairie ecosystems represent one of the more hopeful stories in North American conservation. Wild-managed bison express the full range of natural behaviors including wallowing, long-distance movement, and complex social organization in mixed-sex herds. Conservation herds with minimal human management show substantially better welfare than commercially managed bison raised like cattle. Restoration efforts also benefit the entire grassland ecosystem, supporting prairie dogs, black-footed ferrets, pronghorn, and hundreds of plant and invertebrate species.