The massacre of native and migratory peoples once caused the population of American bison to plummet from 60 million to fewer than 1,000 individuals.
American bison (Bison bison) are herbivorous animals primarily found in North America. In the wild, the average lifespan of this species is 12 to 20 years. They weigh between 420 to 1,000 kg and measure 2 to 3.5 meters in length, excluding the tail. They have a pair of curved, sharp horns that can grow up to 60 cm long.
A pile of bison skulls in a photo taken in 1870 waiting to be ground and mixed into fertilizer. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons).
Bison once roamed the plains in numbers reaching up to 60 million, providing food, clothing, shelter, and fuel for native peoples to sustain their lives. Many tribes in America still regard the bison as a sacred spiritual symbol of their history.
However, the westward expansion throughout the 19th century nearly eradicated the bison from the North American Great Plains. Settlers killed 50 million bison for food and recreational hunting. According to the National Park Service, bison stood on the brink of complete extinction.
The bison may become the national animal of America. (Photo: Flickr).
By 1870, there were at least 10 million bison in the southern population of the North American plains, but less than 20 years later, the number dwindled to only 500 wild individuals. This slaughter was primarily driven by the economic demands and land needs of the settlers. Initially, the introduction of livestock by American farmers led to competition for space with the bison. Then, in the 1870s, they were hunted for their hides, which had become more accessible due to the growth of the leather industry.
By 1883, only a few wild bison remained in the United States, mostly concentrated in Yellowstone National Park. By 1900, there were fewer than 1,000 bison across North America.
Bison were also hunted for sport or because they obstructed pathways—railroad workers would kill bison near any tracks to prevent them from hindering train journeys. The U.S. military also encouraged the slaughter of this species, as the federal government understood that their extermination would help control the indigenous population.
This massacre eliminated the most crucial resource for Native Americans. Thanks to the collective efforts of ranchers, conservationists, many tribes, and authorities, bison have recovered from the brink of extinction, with current populations estimated at around 500,000 individuals.
