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The American bison (Bison bison) once roamed the Great Plains grasslands in vast herds. Their total population numbers were once in the tens of millions and spanned most of North America. [ 9 ] The dwindling numbers severely reduced their ecological impact.
The bison coexisted with elk, deer, pronghorn, swift fox, black-footed ferrets, black-tailed prairie dogs, white-tailed jackrabbits, bears, wolves, coyotes, and cougars. [8] [9] The bison scoring the trees with their horns kept them from taking over the open grasslands. As bison grazed, they dispersed seeds by excreting them. [7]
The grasslands of the western plains were the core of the great bison belt. The grasslands consisted primarily of blue grama ( Bouteloua gracilis ) and buffalo grass ( Bouteloua dactyloides ). These grasses have deep and dense root structure and retain large amounts of water, making them well suited to survive dramatic environmental fluctuations.
American bison occupy less than one percent of their historical range with fewer than 20,000 bison in conservation herds on public, tribal or private protected lands. The roughly 500,000 animals that are raised for commercial purposes are not included unless the entity is engaged in conservation efforts.
Once home to free-roaming herds of bison and leaping pronghorn, the Great Plains is now a shadow of its former self, embodying the story of disappearing wilderness in North American grasslands.
At a population around 300 animals, they form a free herd able to wander where they please. The bison are spread throughout Prince Albert National Park's southwestern corner, as well as some crown and private land in the area. [12] In 2006, plains bison from Elk Island National Park in Alberta were released into Saskatchewan's Grasslands ...
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The grasslands once included more than 1,500 species of plants, 350 birds, 220 butterflies, and 90 mammals. [6] The bison coexisted with elk, deer, pronghorn, swift fox, black-footed ferrets, black-tailed prairie dogs, white-tailed jackrabbits, bears, wolves, coyotes, and cougars.