bison

Bison — which most tribes refer to as buffalo — are an essential part of many Plains tribes' cultural and spiritual life. Now more tribes and tribal nations are working to reestablish bison herds on their own land.

There are about 650 bison in the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes’ herd near Concho and recently, they received federal money to continue its growth.

This year more than a third of Yellowstone’s bison have been removed from the herd – most of them shot – after they wandered out of the national park in search of food. That’s intensified the debate into how to best manage the iconic animal.

A small group of bison has been maintained in Sulphur, Okla. for nearly 100 years. Last week, the herd was moved to a new pasture for the first time.

Tribal members say the new herd will strengthen ceremonial practices and connect them not only with the animal but also with other Indigenous nations.

Bison grazing on native prairie for three decades transformed the landscape, allowing wildflowers to thrive that can feed legions of bees and butterflies.

Indigenous tribes received the bison from Denver Parks and Recreation as a form of reparations, the first in a 10-year ordinance to donate surplus bison.

In Montana, a former Silicon Valley entrepreneur wants to create a massive, privately funded public park. Some ranchers oppose the American Prairie Reserve and say they can better conserve the land.

Banff National Park is hailing the beasts' return as a "historic and cultural triumph." Local indigenous communities also have strong spiritual ties to the bison, and welcomed their reintroduction.

A newly released study examines why European cave art includes drawings of two distinct types of bison. One of the types is a newly discovered ancestor of modern bison.