The restoration of wild bison to North American grasslands represents one of conservation's great successes, but ongoing management choices involving culling, quarantine, and territory conflicts continue to create welfare challenges.
Bison restoration is a welfare success story at the population level, but individual animals face management-related welfare costs. Quarantine for brucellosis testing involves extended captivity for wild animals. Culling removes individuals who would otherwise live full lives in restored habitat. Range conflicts with the livestock industry unnecessarily constrain bison movement and perpetuate stress at herd boundaries. Expanding wild bison range while reducing politically-motivated culling would substantially improve welfare outcomes.