US Focuses Efforts on Restoring Bison Herds on Tribal Lands

US Focuses Efforts , on Restoring Bison Herds , on Tribal Lands.

The United States Interior Department has announced that it will work to restore large bison herds on Native American lands.

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'The Independent' reports that the news comes as part of an effort to tap into Indigenous knowledge regarding conservation.

U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland is expected to announce a new secretarial order to help tribes establish bison herds.

$25 million in federal funds will be allocated to aid those efforts.

'The Independent' reports that the funds will go toward building new herds, transferring bison from federal to tribal lands and forging new agreements with tribes.

Despite returning from the brink of extinction, the bison remain absent from the grasslands they once called home while many tribes struggle to restore their deep connection to the animal.

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At one time, North America was home to as many as 60 million bison which were central to the culture of Native Americans.

According to Haaland, the bison's recovery is considered a conservation success, while more work remains to return the animal to tribal lands.

'The Independent' reports that 82 tribes across the U.S. now have over 20,000 bison living in 65 herds.

The U.S. Interior Department currently manages 11,000 bison in herds spanning 12 states.