Wind Cave bison herd
The Wind Cave bison herd is a herd of 250–400
History
The
Ecology
Wind Cave National Park has large areas of grassland prairie and this provides a nearly optimum environment for American bison.
Bison are large herd animals that defend their young vigorously. American bison can run up to 35 miles (56 km) per hour and are surprisingly agile, in addition to their notable strength. They have an irritable temperament. There are limited numbers of potential
Genetics
The Wind Cave bison herd has minimal cattle introgression.[6] Most private and public bison herds in the United States do. Genetic testing shows that there now appear to be some cattle genes present in approximately 95% of the bison surveyed in other areas.[7]
Though the American bison (Species: Bison bison) is not only a separate
In recent decades tests were developed to determine the source of
A landmark study of bison genetics was undertaken by James Derr of Texas A&M University
A separate study by Wilson and Strobeck, published in Genome, was done to define the relationships between different herds of bison in the United States and Canada, and to determine whether the bison at Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada and the Yellowstone Park bison herd were possibly separate subspecies, and not plains bison. Some people had suggested that the Yellowstone Park bison were actually either of the 'athabascae' (wood buffalo) subspecies, or else that they were of an unspecified 'mountain' subspecies. In the study, it was determined that the Wood Buffalo Park bison were actually cross breeds between plains bison and wood bison, but that their predominant genetic makeup was truly that of the expected "wood buffalo" (Bison bison athabascae).[10] However, the Yellowstone Park bison herd were pure plains bison (Bison bison bison), and not any of the other previously suggested subspecies. This is significant for the Wind Cave bison herd, since this herd was founded, in part, with animals from the Yellowstone Park bison herd. The bison in Wind Cave National park were also plains bison, as expected.[11]
Management
With their genetic purity and the healthy condition of the Wind Cave bison, they should have a significant role to play in the re-establishment of bison populations. Private groups, as well as governmental entities in the United States and Canada, are making efforts to return Bison to much of their previous natural range.[12]
A special risk to the Wind Cave bison herd is the potential for the loss of their genetic purity. The herd is one of the few bison herds in the nation that does not seem to contain hybridized genes from domestic cattle. Unfortunately, the bison herd at Custer State Park, only a few miles away, does include herd members that have hybridized cattle genes. Bison from Custer State Park have been found wandering within Wind Cave National Park. No evidence of cross breeding with these bison has yet been found, but many biologists feel that extra care should be taken with these animals in the future.[9]
Unlike the Yellowstone Park bison herd, the Wind Cave bison herd is currently brucellosis-free. Though brucellosis doesn't seem to cause significant problems for bison populations, it is used as a reason for keeping bison inside the Yellowstone National Park and one of the reasons the state of Montana allows hunting of the Yellowstone Bison if they leave the park. Since the Wind Cave herd does not have brucellosis, there is less reason to confine them to the park and less reason to hunt them. Therefore, it should be easier to allow them to increase their population and their range, if other, nearby land areas become available for bison.[citation needed]
References
- ^ Pisarowicz, Jim (April 29, 2006). "Wildlife Management at Wind Cave National Park". National Park Service.
- ^ Uhler, John William. "Wind Cave National Park Animal and Plant Page". Archived from the original on December 4, 2010. Retrieved April 10, 2011.
- ^ "Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Bison Update" (PDF). The Nature Conservancy. January 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 27, 2013. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
- ^ "Bison With Unique Genetics Find New Home in Kansas". The Nature Conservancy. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
- .
- ^ "Bison Bellows: Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve". U.S. National Park Service. May 19, 2016. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
- ^ a b c Derr, James (October 24, 2006). "American Bison: The Ultimate Genetic Survivor" (PDF). Texas A&M University – via Buffalo Field Campaign.
- ^ This article incorporates public domain material from "Genetic Diversity of Wind Cave's Bison Herd (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. National Park Service. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
- ^ a b Halbert, Natalie; Derr, James (September 30, 2007). Remove Threats to Irreplaceable Bison Herd at Wind Cave National Park (PDF). University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Report). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 23, 2011. Retrieved April 9, 2011.
- PMID 10382295.
- ^ This article incorporates public domain material from Bison Management - Wind Cave National Park. U.S. National Park Service. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
- ^ Samuels, David (March–April 2011). "Where the Buffalo Roam". Mother Jones.