MartinH Collection - Safari Ltd. Plains Bison, Wildlife Wonders - video review

One of the most endearing symbols of early western culture in the United States is the bison. It is estimated that around 30-50 million buffalos roamed the Great Plains at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Bisons were imperative to the survival of Native Americans, which used almost every part of the animal, including furs for clothing, meat for nourishment and the horns for weapons and tools, in order to survive the harsh winters. In an increasingly consumerist society during the 19th century, however, bison were hunted to the brink of extinction by frontier whites. Commodities, mainly bison hides for jackets and leather, were extremely popular, profitable and fashionable back in the eastern regions of the United States. By 1902, fewer than 100 wild buffalos roamed the Great Plains. In 1905, the American Bison Society was founded, and the population has gradually grown to a stable level of around 30,000 wild bison today with many more in captivity. However, the near extinction of the American Biso