The History of Bison

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Bison were a large part of North American ecosystem, and why we don't know a lot about it. The traditional ones that we always think of for great planes are running bison over a cliff. Most of us what we know about it is from small herds and a total historical record. So I really wanted to understand at least the Yellowstone bison in a little bit more detail.

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