Bison are the largest land
mammal native to
North America. Before the arrival of Europeans to North America, they roamed
most of North American with an estimated
population of 30-70 million. Native American
Indian tribes lived in harmony with the bison, using the meat for food and the
hide for clothing and shelter. With a proper balance with the herds, the Indians had little
impact on population. Once our wonderful
ancestors made their way to this great land, they began to
slaughter the Bison in great numbers (of course they slaughtered the Indians as well, but that's another node).
Fur was a big
commodity at the time, and many animals were slaughtered just for their
hide, with the meat left to rot on the plains.
By the turn of the century, it's estimated that there were as few as 1500 Bison left in the wild. In 1905, Theodore Roosevelt introduced legislation to protect the Bison, and the American Bison Society was formed to help preserve the species. Parks and ranges were set up for Bison to live protected from hunting. In 1929, a survey approximated the number of Bison at 3,385, increasing in numbers but not quite there yet. The American Bison Society was essentially gone by 1930, however ranchers got together and formed the National Bison Association which continued efforts and still does to this day. It is estimated that today there are approximately 350,000 Bison in the US and Canada. Unfortunately, most of these are privately owned stock, with an estimated wild population of only about 13,000 head. Many Native American tribes are also helping out with the effort, an estimated 7,000 head roam Indian owned lands.
Due to increased population, Bison has becocome a popular food source once again. The meat is sweeter than beef but still has a similar taste. It's lower in fat and cholesterol, and higher in protein than beef. If you ever drive through South Dakota, it's all over the place, I recommend giving it a shot.