One of the most iconic species in North America is now at the Pittsburgh Zoo’s International Conservation Center in Somerset County.
Alex Cauley, Public Relations Manager at the Zoo says four American bison (one male and three female) arrived at the ICC this past December.
All four of the bison were born this past summer and are around eight months old.
“These animals represent the purest bison stock in North America and came to the Zoo through a partnership with American Prairie, a prairie-based nature reserve in Central Montana,” Cauley said in a statement.
The buffalo arrived to the ICC through a partnership with a natural reserve in Central Montana.
“This is the beginning of an exciting breeding and reintroduction program that will repatriate bison to indigenous territories across the United States,” said ICC Director Ayeshah Al-Humaidhi. “The herd will also provide training opportunities for animal care managers across zoological institutions and our Native American partners.”
Al-Humaidhi adds that they will work with other organizations to transfer any bison bred at the ICC into their natural habitats, prairie lands.
Bison are listed at “near threatened” and “ecologically extinct – “which means they no longer play their critical roles in shaping prairie biodiversity.”
“We are thrilled to partner with the ICC and contribute to this important new program to help grow bison populations across North America,” said Scott Heidebrink, Director of Landscape Stewardship for American Prairie. “We have spent the past 20 years restoring bison to their native prairie home and look forward to seeing even more of these iconic mammals on this historic landscape.”
Most of the bison in the wild today are genetically mixed with cattle, so the purity of the bison at the ICC will play an important role in conserving the bison population in North America.
The ICC sits on 1,000 acres in Somerset, PA and is open to the public for events and appointments only.
Summer camps are also offered at the International Conservation Center. Get more info for that, here.