Conservation genetics programs for plains bison address the genetic bottleneck that nearly eliminated the species and the cattle hybridization that complicates recovery of genetically pure populations.
Conservation genetics for bison addresses welfare concerns at both individual and population levels. Inbreeding depression in small, isolated bison populations reduces immune function, fertility, and stress resilience in ways that directly affect individual animal welfare. Genetic rescue through managed transfers between populations restores diversity and measurably improves fitness indicators. The cattle hybridization question is relevant to welfare indirectly: bison-cattle hybrids may have different behavioral and physiological characteristics that affect their welfare in natural grazing systems. The priority for conservation genetics programs is maintaining the populations that preserve the full genetic heritage of plains bison while managing inbreeding to protect individual welfare across the long-term future of the species.