Sheer Abundance to Near Extinction

Sheer Abundance to Near Extinction. The abundant and diverse wildlife of the Arkansas River Valley was important to the establishment an. When the Bents first traveled to this area they may have encountered elk, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, deer, grizzly bears, wolves, beaver, river otters, and the huge herds of bison that once lived here. Bison especially, provided the region's native people with food, clothing, and shelter. Wildlife also sustained the trappers and traders that arrived in the 1800s. Today, few if any of these animals remain. , Wildlife provided more than food. In the 1830s, beaver pelts and bison robes were valuable commodities and Bent's Old Fort was one of the most important fur trading posts in the West. As bison numbers dwindled, the Native Americans that were the fort's customers found life more difficult. The decrease of bison in the area was one of the factors leading to the abandonment of the fort in 1849. , Caption: In 1845 and 1846, Lt. James Abert traveled the Southwest on U.S. Army Expeditions, spending time at Bent's Old Fort. He documented his travels with journals, maps and illustrations. Abert Illustration: Bison on the Southern Plains, 1846.