Burning Bison; The Past, Present, and Future of Mankind

At the beginning of the 19th century, the North American plains were sprawling with bison herds, their population numbering 60 million. The native tribes relied on them most heavily for their food and clothe sources. Sometimes tribes could war, but ultimately there was an ecological balance between man and nature.

Increasing here are outside settlers, expanding further into the west. As the wild land gradually became tamed by its new conquerors over the next decades, an all out war on the bison species begins. They were too much of a necessity to the Natives and in their ongoing struggle to eliminate them, decided on a scorch the earth approach. Trains would harm them further, dividing them more and passengers shooting at them for sport. People would pose for pictures with massive graves of bison skulls. (The pictures are literally some of the most “metal” things I’ve ever seen, but it is sad)

By 1905, there were less than 30 bison in Yellowstone. Conservation efforts are sparked and the herds begin to rebuild over the next century. But the damage was done.

The number today sits around 500,000, a mere .83% of where it was in 1800. The genetic diversity has been catastrophically damaged, and the majority of them have cattle DNA. Some of the few pure genetic bison exist only in Yellowstone. The animals we see today do not quite look the same as they did then, forever altered by various degrees.