In less than a century, a bison population that once numbered in the millions and stretched across North America was reduced to just a few dozen animals primarily in Yellowstone National Park. DeSilvestro explores one of the greatest conservation comeback stories in American history-- yet its "success" is qualified. Most bison today live in commercial herds, contained like cattle. Are we willing to coexist with them as wild animals who need freedom to roam? -- adapted from back cover Return of the Bison is the story of how this symbol of the American West was once almost lost to history and of the continuing journey to bring bison back from the brink. Author and naturalist Roger Di Silvestro explores the complex history of the bison's decimation and how a rising awareness of their possible extinction formed the roots of many modern wildlife conservation approaches. Weaving in natural history and fascinating historical context featuring personalities such as Teddy Roosevelt, George Bird Grinnell, and William T. Hornaday, Di Silvestro traces the decades it took to begin to save the bison, often with little hope and plagued by discouraging setbacks. And playing a key role in the story are America's Indigenous people, whose fate was intertwined with the bison's and whose conservation work is important not only for the animal's recovery but also for their own cultural renewal. Di Silvestro also examines the plight of European bison and the latest challenges facing the species in the US: Are the bison doomed to be treated like cattle, fenced and contained? Or will they be listed as an endangered species, requiring us to treat them like the wild animals they are?

In the beginning -- When science favors extinction -- Where buffalo roam, again: early restoration -- American bison step out of the ER -- Private herds : hopes, aspirations, roads to recovery -- Tribes : finding home -- Lost herds : Mexico and Canada -- The way of the wisent -- The last refuge -- Building a future for bison.