North America once teemed with 60 million bison
Once numbering 60 million, bison herds shaped North America's plains and sustained Indigenous cultures before being nearly wiped out, now a symbol of conservation's ongoing challenge.
Before European arrival, an estimated 30 to 60 million American bison roamed North America's plains, creating an incredible wildlife spectacle. These massive, 2,000-pound herbivores migrated in herds stretching for miles, shaping the ecosystem by grazing and fertilizing the soil. Indigenous peoples deeply relied on bison for survival and culture.
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