Where are the Buffalo?

Where are the Buffalo?. . , American buffalo (Bison bison) are a keystone species on the North American prairies, and their absence markedly changes the prairie ecosystem. Buffalo are uniquely adapted to the prairie: they require less water and withstand the prairie's extreme weather better than cattle. At the same time, they do less damage with their grazing than cattle, and, when buffalo are reintroduced, biodiversity on the prairie increases., It's estimated that 60 million buffalo roamed the Great Plains in the late 18th century, but by 1889, less than a thousand animals remained. Many were slaughtered for sport, but the federal government also sanctioned the wholesale extermination of the buffalo in order to control the Plains Indians. , Buffalo populations have rebounded with help from conservationists, and reintroducing buffalo to the prairie would be an ideal conservation solution. But undomesticated animals like buffalo can also be unpredictable, potentially creating a dangerous situation for visitors. Instead, a small herd of cattle grazes the prairie and helps to manage invasive plants, while still allowing public access to the native prairie. , (photo caption:), Prairie remnants - like this one - are too small to support a buffalo herd, which often travels several miles per day while grazing.