BUFFALOES, WILD AND IN CAPTIVITY 5 



The American Buffalo 



THE AMERICAN BISON, or BUFFALO. l Because of its great 

 size, imposing appearance, former abundance and value to 

 mankind, this is the most celebrated of all American hoofed 

 animals. Its practical extermination in a wild state is now a 

 source of universal regret. In 1902 Congress took the first 

 step toward its preservation from complete extinction, by 

 appropriating $15,000 for the purpose of purchasing and 

 establishing under fence, in the Yellowstone Park, a herd of 

 captive Buffaloes. This undertaking was very wisely and ap- 

 propriately placed in charge of the Department of Agriculture. 



At this date (1914) there are about 349 wild Buffaloes 

 alive, of which about 300 inhabit a desolate and inhospitable 

 region southwest of Great Slave Lake. In 1890, the Yellow- 

 stone Park herd contained about three hundred head; but 

 through inadequate protection and killing done by unprin- 

 cipled poachers in quest of heads to sell, to-day only forty- 

 nine head remain. The weakness of the efforts to protect 

 that herd was a national disgrace. Through lack of sufficient 

 laws and patrol service the poachers were permitted to rob 

 the American people of a wild herd which no expenditure of 

 money ever can replace. 



There were in captivity, in January, 1913, 2,907 pure- 

 bred Buffaloes, and the number is steadily increasing. Of 



1 A true "Buffalo" is an animal with no hump on its shoulders; and is found 

 only in Africa and Asia. Our animal, having a high hump, is really a bison; but 

 inasmuch as it is known to ninety-five millions of Americans as the "Buffalo," 

 it would be quite useless to attempt to bring about a universal change in its popular 

 name. There is but one living species. 



