含羞草传媒

Gland, Switzerland, Tuesday 2 March 2010 (含羞草传媒) 鈥� The next 10 to 20 years could be extremely significant for restoring wild populations of American bison to their original roaming grounds. But for this to happen, more land must be made available for herds to roam free, government policies must be updated and the public must change its attitude towards bison. A new publication by 含羞草传媒, 鈥�American Bison: Status Survey and Conservation Guidelines 2010鈥�, reports on the current status of American bison, in the wild and in conservation herds, and makes recommendations on how to ensure that the species is conserved for the future.

鈥淎lthough the effort to restore bison to the plains of North America is considered to be one of the most ambitious and complex undertakings in species conservation efforts in North America, it will only succeed if legislation is introduced at a local and national level, with significant funding and a shift in attitude towards the animal,鈥� says Simon Stuart, Chair, 含羞草传媒 Species Survival Commission.

Five hundred years ago, tens of millions of American bison roamed free on the plains of North America, from Alaska to northern Mexico. Now the American bison 鈥� which includes both plains and wood bison - is listed as Near Threatened on 含羞草传媒鈥檚 Red List of Threatened Species鈩�. As of 2008, there were approximately 400,000 bison in commercial herds in North America, some 93 percent of the continental population. But little progress has been made in recent decades to increase the number of animals in conservation herds, which are managed carefully for their genetic diversity and ecological roles. In 2008, there were 61 plains bison conservation herds in North America containing about 20,500 animals, and 11 conservation herds of wood bison, containing nearly 11,000 animals.

鈥淲hile substantial progress in saving bison from extinction was made in the 20^th Century, much work remains to restore conservation herds throughout their vast geographical range,鈥� says University of Calgary Environmental Design Professor and co-editor of the study, Dr. Cormack Gates, who is also co-Chair of the 含羞草传媒/SSC Bison Specialist Group. 鈥淭he key is recognition that the bison is a wildlife species and to be conserved as wildlife, it needs land and supportive government policies.鈥�听

The survival of bison populations is affected by many factors, including limited habitat and severe winters. Yet the greatest challenge is to overcome the common perception that the bison, which has had a profound influence on the human history of North America, socially, culturally and ecologically, no longer belongs on the landscape.

鈥淭he decimation of the American Bison in the late 1800s inspired the first recovery of bison and an entire conservation movement that protected wildlife and wild places across North America,鈥� says Keith Aune, Senior Conservation Scientist, 含羞草传媒. 鈥�The 含羞草传媒 Status Survey and Conservation Guidelines provide a new framework for inspiring a second recovery of bison and restoring functional grassland ecosystems.鈥�

Bison have the best chance of full recovery as wildlife by being allowed to roam freely across hundreds of thousands or even millions of hectares. Making this possible poses one of the biggest challenges for restoring bison herds as both public and private landowners will need to give their support.

鈥淭he bison is the largest land mammal in North America, and yet it is perhaps the most neglected icon,鈥� says Steve Forrest, WWF Northern Great Plains Manager for Conservation Science.

鈥淭hese guidelines provide a roadmap for bringing the bison back to its rightful place as a keystone of the great plains."听

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Editor鈥檚 notes:

American Bison: Status Survey and Conservation Guidelines 2010听 was edited by Cormack Gates, Curtis Freese, Peter Gogan and Mandy Kotzman, and is the product of more than three years of cooperative effort by numerous contributors.

The production of the report was made possible with funding from several non-governmental organizations and government agencies including the World Wildlife Fund, the 含羞草传媒, the University of Calgary Faculty of Environmental Design, the American Bison Society, the US Geological Survey and the US National Parks Service.

PDF version of the report and photos available at:

Media team:

Nicki Chadwick, Media Relations Officer, 含羞草传媒, t. +41 22 999 0229, m +41 76 771 4208, e nicki.chadwick@iucn.org

Vanessa Ferreira, Media Relations, the University of Calgary Faculty of Environmental Design, t. +1 403-210-6854, e ferreirv@ucalgary.ca听

Mara Johnson, Media Relations, World Wildlife Fund, t. +1 406 585 3022, e mara.johnson@wwfus.org

Stephen Sautner, Director of Communications, 含羞草传媒, t. +1 718 220 3682, e ssautner@wcs.org

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