How the American Bison Came Back from Extinction | Back from the Brink

[@terramater]

Check out our 'Back from the Brink' series for more incredible wildlife conservation stories: kzbin.info/aero/PLZ3CjNbCdQe8V_y7HK_LzZL6lLv11cx_3

[@stevebennett9839]

As an American I'd love to look out my window and see bison grazing in my yard. That picture of all the bison skulls is unbelievable. Thank you Terra Mater for another great video.

[@terramater]

Hi Steve! We totally get you! Thanks for watching! :)

[@That_Thicc_Cat]

Same here, bison are awesome

[@deannelson9565]

Yeah let me guess you're one of those dumbasses that would try to walk up and take a picture with it! As a person he's grown up around them the last thing I want one is in my damn yard! They are by far and away our most violent herbivore species you don't want one in your yard! You can walk around the corner of your house not knowing something's going on and step near a cow and a calf and next thing you know you're going to be airborne.

[@rohin682]

I was disgusted when I saw what we did to these poor animals. Jesus christ what the fuck is wrong with this world we literally caused their extinction just to hurt the native indians.

[@matthewconstantine5015]

The expansion of bison and beavers in North America are heartening developments in a dark time. Add to that the growing work on oysters along the coasts & I sometimes feel a bit of hope for the future.

[@terramater]

Hi Matthew! Yes, stories like this give us hope!

[@JesgateOnDown]

#MatthewConstantine Not without Beaver & many other flagship species

[@SpareMango]

Words cannot describe how happy I am to know wild bison populations are returning to America's prairies

[@terramater]

We are also super happy about it! 🙌

[@terramater]

👋Hi all; Many of you have pointed it out already and you are totally right about it: The horrible atrocities committed against Native Americans are a big (if not one of the most important) part of a conversation when it comes to the history of the Euro-American conquest. However, while working on the research and script, we realized that this is an issue far too big and complex in order to just keep it as a side-note in the video. So we had to take the decision and focus on our expertise: nature, wildlife and the environment. However, we'd love our channel to be a platform to talk about these issues, however difficult they may be. We want to use this comment to start a conversation about this part of history & its consequences and read your suggestions or ideas to follow-up on this!

[@dayanaron705]

I see the positive side of this massacre, the positive side is the reconquest, even in Spain. They even conquered Europe. They come back just like the Indians and they are so, so desired.

[@dayanaron705]

Indians are desired as farmers because they are the best

[@CuriousKev]

There was this TedTalk i listened to years ago about the importance of giant roaming grazers in preventing desertification and helping grasslands in Africa. Seeing videos like this always reminds me of that video.

[@terramater]

Hi Keven! Thanks for the tip, we'll take a look at it!

[@terramater]

About their name: What do you call them, bison or buffalo? Oh, btw: Every new subscriber gets a free huge bison smile! 🦬😉

[@KhanMann66]

Bison is the official name. Buffalo usually refers to water buffaloes in Asia or Africa.

[@jjhggdcqz]

I think this video should be recommended: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p564q42NndetfJI

[@earthling_parth]

Bison 🦬🦬🦬🦬

[@PurryFriends]

I prefer calling them Bison rather than the generic Buffalo

[@Megan-nt7dm]

Great video, but it's missing a lot of context about how tightly connected the indigenous people of the plains were with these animals, how they are the ones pushing all of this reintroduction, and that one of the reasons the bison were massacred in the first place was to starve out the indigenous people so that white settlers could move west.

[@absbabs6153]

It's criminal that this page doesn't have more views...such great and informative videos

[@terramater]

Hi! Let's help to spread the word about it! 📣

[@absbabs6153]

@@terramater I share your videos with my friends whenever i can👍

[@PurryFriends]

I agree with you. The moment I found this channel, I subscribed right away. Haven’t been disappointed since. Always delivers quality and informative content. Keep going @terramater

[@MossyEarth]

Beautiful animations and footage! Good job @terramater :) The return of the bison is one of those iconic rewilding stories that is playing out now and that captures everyone's imagination. - Cheers, Duarte

[@terramater]

Thanks for the feedback, Duarte! It's a fascinating story! :)

[@MossyEarth]

@@terramater We should chat on some video ideas. I sent you an email :)

[@terramater]

We would love that! Please email us at [e-mail] :)

[@Bogwedgle]

Sorry, absolutely needs saying, lots of people full well understood, and continue to understand how important bison were. A group of people who go completely unmentioned in this video, despite the fact you extensively discus the industrialised extermination of the bison, which was, at least in part, an active and intentional effort to commit genocide against them. I like this channel, I like your videos, please don't completely brush over darker stuff and passively reinforce the whitewashing of American history.

[@JesusMartinez-rr2ry]

I am in full support of bison returning to the wilderness where they rightfully belong. Their presence benefits the prairies and everything that calls it home.

[@terramater]

Right?!

[@apocalypse487]

Killing the bison to kill Native Americans has to be part of the conversation. It's literally related to why the bison were killed off.

[@DuckStrider]

Exactly

[@lawerancelanham]

That's part of it but when you see a mountain of bones... one has to literally look at the businessman and his insatiable hunger for $. It doesn't care what it eliminates. It doesn't matter what, nor whom, nor what kind of whom that you may be. It's about turning another dollar...the more dollar, the less they care.

[@Megan-nt7dm]

You absolutely cannot talk about the hunting of the bison without talking about this. There was even a slogan "kill a Buffalo, kill/starve an indian"

[@FlyingDwarfman]

All comments in this thread thus far are on point. Eradicating the American bison was a major and explicit cog in the US military effort against the various Plains tribes (most notably those they kept losing to in direct conflict).

[@diegotamayo1490]

Thank you! Additionally, most of the "feel good" stories coming out of bison reintroduction are coming from present-day indigenous groups in the Great Plains who are reestablishing cultural connections with bison in their homelands. Bison and indigenous folks in the Plains are inseparable. This I think is the most victorious aspect of this entire bison revival, one I wish TerraMatter gave an ounce of attention toward in the video.

[@JL-ti3us]

This reminds me of similar projects to buy up land in the Western portion of the Eastern Cape in South Africa to create a large corridor for elphant and other species to move between the Addo National Park and the Knysna forest.

[@terramater]

Thanks for the insights! We’ll take a look at it

[@NewAge374]

Great video! I didn't know the majority of American bison were fenced and managed rather than free-roaming. Distinguishing their impact to places where they can migrate and not oversatiate hotspots is a story that concerns many other keystone species. I particularly enjoy the little jab at the attempt to have domesticated cattle fill the role of prairie architects, but they just can't cope with the environmental extremes. This is why species exist and are clearly designated across behavioral as well as territorial boundaries! This relates to an approach in extensive lifestock agriculture (or silvo-agriculture) where efforts are made to continue exploiting animals for what services (meat, milk) they provide to humans, instead of looking at what the environment offers and needs.

[@terramater]

Thanks for watching it!

[@benm.8680]

Some family friends of ours have about 50 Bison on their ranch. They are incredible animals and wayyy smarter than cows. You can tell by the way they look you in the eyes.

[@terramater]

Hi Ben! They are fascinating!

[@CJ-BZ]

Its a dream of mine to visit American Prairie Reserve and see huge herds of bison and elk one day

[@terramater]

That's a great dream, you should def do it!

[@robbabcock_]

The way European colonizers treated the Bison (and of course the native peoples) was sickening. It would be awesome to see them roam in their multitudes again, in at least a small semblance of their old numbers and ranges.

[@terramater]

Hi Rob! Now it's the time for their comeback

[@binzayd5862]

አሜሪካውያን ረጅም ታሪክ ባይኖሬቹክም ቢያንስ በማሰብ ደረጃው ከዲሞክራት ወይም ከሪፐብሊካኖች በማሰብ ደረጃው እሚበልጥ ትልቅ ጭንቅላት ትልቅ ሰውነት ያለው ባይሰን እምትሉት እንስሳ በማስተዋል ከናንተ እሚበልጠው ያሃ የአልሏህ ፍጥረት ስላላቹ ፈጣሪን፤ ለነገሩ ፈጣሪ የላቹህምና ያው ግብረ-ሰዶማውያን እና መሪዎቻቹህ እሚያመልኩትን ሰይጣናቹክን አመስግኑ!!!! ቢያንስ ከእናንተ በማሰብ ቢሻልም ምርጥ ምልክታቹህ ነው!!!!

[@graythaprince]

Thanks to the conservation efforts, I'm able to eat a bison burger today.

[@cunderw12]

This is the American dream I want to see!!! I pray I get to witness it in my lifetime!

[@terramater]

Yes, that's really amazing news! 🤩

[@GKViddingHD]

A couple of years back, I workaway-ed at Bisonquest, a farm run by two wildlife experts that observe a bison herd in Montana. I came pretty close to the calves and their imposing moms. Sometimes I could hear them approaching (or feel the ground shake) before I saw the herd. It was a formidable sight, but you would not want to be in their way.

[@helenakern2761]

Absolutely loved the feel-good-story! Feels nice to not only hear bad news for once, tbh

[@terramater]

Hi Helena! We're happy to hear that, and you're right, there are so many sad things around, it's good to see that not all is lost!

[@sgauden02]

They're beautiful... Beautiful!

[@terramater]

Right?! 😍

[@brycekirkham6896]

Another great video! Bison are amazing and I've always found their history and conservation inspiring and fascinating!

[@terramater]

Hi Bryce! Thank you! Their story is really fascinating!

[@EyesOfByes]

Thanks for some happy news. Finally.

[@terramater]

You’re welcome and thanks for watching it!

[@hunterG60k]

The destruction of the bison was the second genocide of North America. Apparently the herds were so massive that it could take several days for them to pass on their migrations. We'll never know that abundance of wildlife again and it breaks my heart.

[@Zraknul]

And Beavers. They used to live basically in every continually flowing river in North America. Creating ponds, wetlands, etc for fish, birds, etc

[@FlyingDwarfman]

The other genocide I suspect you're referring to was concurrent with that of the bison. A large part of eradicating the bison was in fact explicitly intended to contribute to it.

[@terramater]

It's a fact that we'll never know that abundance of bisons again :(

[@inkacabinka8763]

Beautiful voice, simple and understandable speech, even for me who does not know the language very well. Thanks a lot. Greetings from anti-Putin Russia

[@terramater]

Hi, Inka! We're happy to hear that! Thanks for watching! :)

[@PershijsmachnijKherson]

Hello, thanks for the interesting and beautiful video, great channel! Good luck!!👌

[@terramater]

We're happy to hear that! Thanks for watching! :)

[@rhombifer566]

And places outside the United States like her continental United States like Alaska with bison the list goes on

[@okboomer6201]

This is great. I hope they breed like crazy.

[@terramater]

Right?! We too 😄

[@johannescuellar9021]

Beautiful!

[@terramater]

Hi Johannes! Thanksss!

[@SchnippiTheCat]

incredible animlas. would be great to see huge bison herds like back in the day!

[@terramater]

Totally!

[@indyreno2933]

Bovids are hoofed mammals that comprise the family Bovidae, living bovids range in size from the royal antelope to the gaur, living bovids are only found in North America, Eurasia, and Africa, all bovids have a single sharp end on each horn, this is present in both males and females, males tend to have longer horns than females, as the largest and most diverse family of living hoofed mammals, there are over one-hundred-and-fifty-eight extant species within seventy-two genera, ten subfamilies and three major clades, the major clades are the primitive clade, the cattle-like clade, and the goat-like clade, the primitive clade consists of three subfamilies: Ovibovinae (Muskox, Takin, Gorals, Mountain Goat, Serows, Chamoises, and Tahrs), Hippotraginae (Grazing Antelope), and Alcelaphinae (Hartebeests, Wildebeests, Damalisks, and Hirola), the cattle-like clade consists of three subfamilies: Peleinae (Rhebok), Reduncinae (Reedbucks, Lechwes, Kob, Puku, and Waterbuck), and Bovinae (Cattle, Spiral-Horned Antelope, Nilgai, and Chousingha), and the goat-like clade consists of four subfamilies: Caprinae (Goats and Sheep), Antilopinae (Gazelles and True Antelope), Cephalophinae (Duikers), and Neotraginae (Dwarf Antelope).

[@terramater]

Hi Indy! Impressive! Thanks for the info!

[@casienwhey]

It wasn't just the bison, it was also wolves, cougars, grizzly bears, prairie dogs, and the prairie itself that were destroyed wherever encountered. You could rewrite the history of the settlement of the West as one of killing anything that got in the way. Contrast that with a country like Tanzania which still has the Serengeti and the great herds of wildebeest. The settlers of the West were actually quite vicious and cruel people.

[@blunzengrostl5899]

Such imposing animals!

[@terramater]

Totally!

[@merrillalbury8214]

Bison meat is really good but did not justify the mass slaughter.

[@terramater]

not at all

[@Grand_History]

Sadly they may never return to my state of Indiana

[@terramater]

😢

[@FlyingDwarfman]

I'd love to see something like this as a mini series or extended series about re-wilding efforts and -- a large element I feel you missed in this one -- the re-introduction of local and traditional landscape management systems. On the latter element, I feel that while re-wilding the American bison (as well as other keystone species such as wolves and beavers) is a crucial to rebuilding their ecosystem, how these landscapes were largely human-managed for tens of millennia can't be ignored. It wasn't untouched, virgin earth as described by Teddy Roosevelt, et al., and it's taken about 7 generations to start realizing it.

[@terramater]

You're absolutely right! Unfortunately, we can't fit that many topics in a 10-min video, but we like your idea of the miniseries, thanks for the insights and for watching!!

[@shannonly23]

This is such a fundamentally important conversation. This should be a part of every kids history lessons. This needs to be talked about. If we don’t…it’s going to happen again. Enough with the rose colored glasses. The history of this country is gross and real and absolutely NECESSARY so we ensure it doesn’t happen again…and permanently this time.

[@terramater]

It's a crucial part of history indeed, and it's by learning about it that we take action when it comes to protecting our wildlife.

[@jk_016]

Make video about tiger in Bangladesh

[@terramater]

Hi Jk! Thanks for the suggestion!

[@adamcheklat7387]

3:18: You mean Manifest Destiny?

[@roshanchachane142]

The same European invaders also caused extinction of Indian Cheetahs and brought the Bengal tigers to the brink of extinction.

[@hunterhq295]

European settlers cause of most losses....

[@drmasroberts]

Bison were never extinct or is this an egregious redefinition of extinction?

[@adopodrinje1499]

too bad u can not repair or regrow the NATIVE HUMANS HERE? Im from europe and totally disgusted by this genocide of even animals? not just indians therE? was watching Dances with wolves yesterdayt.... so sad.... sad but true...

[@terramater]

Hi Ado! It's sooo sad, but we're happy that the at least the bison is having its comeback

[@supercharger5727]

It's crazy how we have had 73 years to solve climate change yet we just can't stop climate change like queen Elizabeth didn't even become queen yet when climate change started

[@terramater]

🤯

[@mateuszmazur6222]

You should check out some of Forrest Galante’s work. He was on joe Rogan’s podcast and he talks a little bit about the plains buffalo there and else where like his own podcast, the wild times podcast.

[@terramater]

Hi Mateusz! Thanks for the feedback! We’ll take a look at it 😊

[@JesgateOnDown]

Meanwhile there's not enough affordable housing for humans. Yes to Bison! Now how about we say yes to humans🤷

[@BrandonLee-ig1qg]

Ban hunting, fishing and deforestation

[@FlyingDwarfman]

Sustainable levels of hunting and fishing (particularly by traditional methods by local peoples) are fine. Heck, a lot of what needs to be done in ecosystem management is the re-introduction of traditional, sustainable methods. Hunting and fishing as forms of "resource extraction and exploitation" -- just like other overtly destructive forms of "resource extraction" -- should indeed be banned internationally, though.

[@BrandonLee-ig1qg]

@@FlyingDwarfman Sustainable only means that the ecosystems are barely getting by, and any more activity than that will be the cause of serious damage to the ecosystems.

[@rhombifer566]

Yellowstone

[@nunya___]

2:20 ... not buffalo.

[@davidrubioroldan]

El oeste no era salvaje, habían ciudades colegios ayuntamientos e iglesias, hasta que los Estados Unidos tras guerras con nueva España y luego México se adueñó de las tierras y empezaron a confinar los pueblos originales en reservas y cambiar el estado natural de zona

[@rhombifer566]

Places in Canada like bath national park excuse the spelling

[@a.i2625]

Make video on cape buffaloes of Manda bay .

[@terramater]

Thanks for the suggestion!

[@marialuizasantos7336]

Amigo se eles se torna Que nem O Jacaré Que hoje tem 20 a 30 milhoes no Pantanal Vai ser uma buffalaiada Demais Tomara que chega em umas 2 ou 3 milhoes de cabeças E se Rebanho Abçs Netao

[@jordanp5469]

I kinda doubt that bison lived in western Pennsylvania, it's always been a thick forest here. Maybe I'm reading the map wrong idk

[@mr.d00m37]

Wood bison

[@unoserrano]

que so

[@igorbukovy4313]

Cross your fingers. :)

[@terramater]

Hi Igor! Crossing 🤞

[@igorbukovy4313]

@@terramater :)

[@sirmeowthelibrarycat]

😡 The highly intrusive background ‘music’ makes these videos almost impossible to watch. Also please do not peer so close to the camera. It adds nothing to the narrative.

[@ender4903]

You are trying to keep the video length short. I understand that but talking too fast to do that is not a feasible way. It makes me stressed and distracted.

[@velvetindigonight]

You can't have free food from free roaming Bison....... and an 'easy' life.............. You have to be tied to the plough, wheat and farming eg enslaved as per your lot in Europe..... Hmmmnnnn funny that. Wake up folks and smell the coffee................ Whatever great news of their return..............

[@rod9829]

Where’s the female 😭😭

[@terramater]

Hi Rod! What female?

[@earthling_parth]

This brought a tear to my eye. I'm very happy that Bison populations are growing and healing the ecosystems that we damaged. Go Bisons 🦬🦬🦬

[@terramater]

Go bisons 🦬🙌

[@heetheet75]

Bison remind me of Scottish cows.

[@terramater]

Good point, never thought about that, but it's true!

[@deannelson9565]

The American Prairie Reserve is not a free-roaming heard and didn't just start this year!!!! There is to this date and probably never will be a completely non-fenced herd on privet ground and probably will never be outside of federal lands! I mean other than wood Buffalo and some of the Wood Bison Range. The biggest problem with bringing buffalo back is not motivation it's their ability to integrate with the rest of the Prairies that have not been returned to their natural state. As you mentioned bizon migrate at some point they're going to hit the edge and bizon do not do well with fences, cropland or human interaction for that matter! About to mention you conveniently leave out the problem with brucellosis with the Yellowstone herd! There's a couple herds out there that might be allowed to expand Yellowstone sure the hell ain't one of them! At least not without an extensive quarantine. To weed out all the positive cases.