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By
1890, the American bison was
headed toward extinction. Though bison herds once darkened the
American plains, newly constructed
railroads blocked their migration routes. They were easy targets
for
hunters, and the U.S government sponsored an eradication
program during the Indian Wars.
Bison survived, in part, due to the President
Theodore Roosevelt's creation of the National Bison Range in 1908.
Roosevelt's goal was
“to
provide a
representative herd of bison, or buffalo, under reasonably natural
conditions [and] to help ensure the preservation of the species for
continued public benefit and enjoyment.”
Today
the National Bison Range has expanded to include
18,541 acres of habitat, and bison share the range with populations of
pronghorn antelope, white-tailed and mule deer, elk,
bighorn sheep, mountain goat and black bear. Over 200 species of
birds also benefit from the range, including eagles, hawks,
meadowlarks, bluebirds, ducks, and geese.
The 19 mile Red Sheep Mountain
Drive is open from mid-June to mid-October and leads to beautiful views
of the Mission Mountains.
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