Where the buffalo roam: Somerset County conservation center adds bison

Yahoo

28-02-2025

SOMERSET, Pa. – The Pittsburgh zoo has added one of the nation's most iconic creatures, the American bison, to its sprawling Somerset County conservation center.
Three female bison and a male 'bull' – described as some of the purest stock in North America – have been transferred to the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium's International Conservation Center from a prairie-based nature reserve in central Montana, zoo officials said in a release to media.
'This is the beginning of an exciting breeding and reintroduction program that will repatriate bison to indigenous territories across the United States,' said ICC Director Ayeshah Al- Humaidhi. 'The herd will also provide training opportunities for animal care managers across zoological institutions and our Native American partners.'
Tens of millions of American bison, often called buffalo, were once abundant across the plains and as far east as New York, Pennsylvania and Florida, according to the National Park Service.
Over the span of generations, European settlers wiped out herds in Pennsylvania and nearly drove the species to U.S. extinction.
The species is listed as 'near threatened,' which is closed to endangered status, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The Pittsburgh Zoo and American Prairie, which provided the bison, are part of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums' Bison Saving Animals from Extinction (SAFE) program, which is working to share its resources with North American partners, including Indigenous groups, as part of a broader effort to enable bison populations to thrive again, zoo officials said.
'Based on AZA SAFE recommendations, we will actively look for partners to receive any bison that are bred at the ICC,' said Al-Humaidhi.
Genetic integrity plays an important role in bison conservation, he said.
Given that many bison bred with cattle over centuries, the Saving Animals from Extinction program incorporates the most genetically pure bison and pays close attention to genetic diversity to manage the health of its herds. At the International Conservation Center in Fairhope, the goal will be to encourage breeding among a male and three females who are purer stock, officials said.
'We are thrilled to partner with the ICC and contribute to this important new program to help grow bison populations across North America,' said Scott Heidebrink, Director of Landscape Stewardship for American Prairie. 'We have spent the past 20 years restoring bison to their native prairie home and look forward to seeing even more of these iconic mammals on this historic landscape.'
Zoo officials first told The Tribune-Democrat about plans to add bison to the historically elephant-focused conservation center in June 2023.
The four bison arrived in December and are now 8 months old, officials said.
As new residents of the center, the bison will also serve as Pennsylvania ambassadors for their species, the Pittsburgh zoo wrote, 'helping visitors understand the vital role they play in the ecosystem as a keystone species and the importance of preserving their natural habitats.'