Tallgrass Prairie bison herd
Herd
Coordinates: 38°25′58″N 96°33′32″W / 38.43278°N 96.55889°W / 38.43278; -96.55889
LocationTallgrass Prairie National Preserve
WebsiteOfficial website

The Tallgrass Prairie bison herd is a population of American bison (Bison bison) inhabiting the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in central Kansas. It is a public bison herd that has little evidence of cattle introgression.

History

Bison were reintroduced to the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in October 2009 when seven male and six female bison from Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota were transported to the 1,100-acre Windmill Pasture (450 ha).[1][2] Two of the transported bulls died after arriving in Kansas and were replaced by two males, also sourced from the Wind Cave bison herd, purchased from Dunn Ranch in Missouri.[3] The Tallgrass Prairie bison herd is considered a satellite herd of the Wind Cave bison herd to promote genetic diversity among federal herds.[1] It is one of only a few public bison herds that show little evidence of cattle introgression.[4] The conservation of bison is an ongoing, diverse effort to bring bison back from the brink of extinction.[5] The 2020 Bison Conservation Initiative by the Department of the Interior has five central goals: wild, healthy bison herds; genetic conservation; shared stewardship; ecological restoration; and cultural restoration.[6]

Size and status

The population's first calf was born on May 9, 2010.[7] The herd numbered twenty-three animals in December 2013.[3] Plans to transplant an additional twelve bison from the Wind Cave bison herd were delayed by the United States federal government shutdown of 2013.[3] The transfer is now expected to occur in 2014, bringing the herd closer to its planned size of 75 to 100 animals.[8][9] An outbreak of Mycoplasma bovis killed 22 animals in the fall of 2021.[10]

References

  1. 1 2 "Bison Bellows: Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve". U.S. National Park Service. May 19, 2016. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Bison Update" (PDF). The Nature Conservancy. January 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 27, 2013. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 Biles, Jan (December 7, 2013). "Bison herd at prairie preserve steadily increasing". The Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  4. ↑ Lawhorn, Chad (October 23, 2013). "Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve conducts first roundup of growing bison herd". LJWorld.com. Lawrence Journal-World. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  5. ↑ McGinn, Miyo (September 2, 2022). "Bison are bringing biodiversity back to Kansas prairie land". Popular Science. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  6. ↑ Repanshek, Kurt (May 7, 2020). "Interior Department Extends Bison Conservation Initiative For A Decade". National Parks Traveler. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Mother's Day Delivery at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve" (PDF) (Press release). National Park Service. May 11, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 27, 2012. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 27, 2012. Retrieved December 27, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 27, 2013. Retrieved December 27, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. ↑ Smith, Mitch (March 12, 2022). "He Spent Decades Protecting Buffalo. A Microscopic Invader Threatens That Work". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
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