Bison: Symbol of the American West

A bison roams across Yellowstone National Park.  Once numbering in the tens of millions, these iconic symbols of the American west were reduced to less than 1,100 by the late 1800s. 

Through efforts of the New York Zoological Society (now Wildlife Conservation Society) bison were restocked to the Great Plains and saved from extinction. 

Now conservationists are looking toward the next century of bison conservation, which will include restoring their ecological role over large, open landscapes. 

• The World's Biggest Beasts