# Bison Conservation Article



## HappyHippos1 (May 7, 2007)

I'm unsure if this should go here or in the lounge but I think it fits.

The Nature Conservancy - The Last Bison

Above is an article from nature.org about Plains Buffalo and how they were brought down in numbers and who is helping to bring them up. I thought it was interesting because there is a little bit of info on genes and hybridization which greatly applies to this hobby. The buffalo were bread with cattle in order to make cattle meat better and to help the cattle withstand cold winters, etc. This was a disaster with the cattle as it didn't work but it was an even greater disaster for the buffalo. It weakened their gene pool and it is still unsure what other effects it had, such as a lack of grazing on grassland, weaker immunities, etc. The buffalo now are VERY limited on actual buffalo genes, most have some sort of cattle gene also.

A lot is unknown about PDFs but if you're hybridizing or you think it isn't a big deal keep in mind of the 'hidden' aspect of what you're doing.


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## iridebmx (Oct 29, 2008)

i saw on a menu a few years ago they had buffalo burgers and below it it said buffalo\beef.i had no idea the were saying it was from the same animal!it was like 10.00 or something so im sure not too many people bought those......hopefully


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## basshummper (Jan 13, 2008)

Hopefully this can stand as a test case when we need it in the future. If cytrid does wipe out our precious PDF's in the wild then amphibian ark and our private collections can be tested to unsure we can repopulate with 100% pure gene animals. The hybrids will go to France to supply the frog leg market.


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## McBobs (Apr 26, 2007)

It was kinda cool reading that as i know a couple people that are in on the buffalo projects. I live here in Manhattan 1/4mile from KSU and out here, the agriculture school is a really big deal. Very interesting article! 

-Matt


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## rattler_mt (Apr 15, 2005)

there are 5 genetically stable herds of pure bison in North America, one of which is actually the woods bison and not the plains bison......the largest herd is the Yellowstone herd but there are huge hurdles in removing these guys from the park to introduce or shore up some of the minor herds collapsing due to inbreeding due to the brucelosis bacterium.....the tribes here are looking at receiving some animals from yellowstone that have gone through an intensive screening process and after reading tons on it i truly believe the animals are free of the disease, however those that buy cattle from our area in Nebraska and such have stated if bison from Yellowstone come to this corner of Montana they will no longer buy beef cows from this area......this is causing some panic amongst the ranchers as it will kill the cattle industry up here which is a main source of $$ here.......

can bison be "saved", yes quite easily, but its going to require huge steps in education to various beef cattle buyers cause no one is going to bring in the Yellowstone animals into their area with the current stigma.......cause currently it will kill the beef industry in any area these animals show up in........and anyplace that can handle a new herd of bison or has a current large herd is beef country.......


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## Tuckinrim8 (Jul 26, 2007)

Antelope island here in salt lake has a wild herd as well - here is some info from the state park site: The herd fluctuates between 550 and 700, making it one of the largest publicly owned bison herds in the nation. The Antelope Island bison herd is also recognized as one of the oldest in the country and possesses unique genetic characteristics making it of interest to breeders.
here is the article...
Wildlife On Antelope Island | Utah.com

Chris


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