Even though they were down to a couple dozen at the turn of the last century, bison have never been on the endangered species list. So from what I can gather, the population was so regally boned by European settlers that bison were just considered ecologically extinct. While there may only be a few thousand in wild herds, ranching has now grown bison's numbers to several hundred thousand in the US.
Bison bison! Not just something to holler into the sky, but also the scientific name for North America's majestic wild bovines that once roamed the plains in the tens of millions. What's up with their humps? On what occasion do they wear capes? What noises do they make? How many are out there? What are the best ways to help them? In this special episode, you get 4x the usual number of ologists as we talk to archeologist Dr. Ken Cannon, wildlife biologist Dr. Dan McNulty, Alie's cousin Boyd and his wife Lila Evans, of the Blackfeet Tribe, who are bison ranchers based in Northern Montana. Also, once and for all: is it buffalo or bison? And can Alie hug one?
A donation went to: InterTribal Bison Council (ITBC)
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn