Interior Secretary Deb Haaland has ordered the US government to restore large bison herds to Native American lands, using Indigenous knowledge to conserve the animals. Haaland's order also includes $25m in federal spending for bison conservation, which will build new herds, transfer bison from federal to tribal lands and establish bison management agreements with tribes. Bison, also known as buffalo, were driven to near extinction in the 1800s due to commercial hunting, eliminating a primary food source for many tribes and opening the way for land to be taken away. Haaland's order puts Native American interests at the center of the Interior Department’s bison program, adding a tribal leader to explore establishing new herds on tribal and federal lands.
Photo Credit: Kier Allen
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