Four bison arrive at Somerset conservation center

Yahoo

18-02-2025

PITTSBURGH, Pa. (WTAJ) — The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium's International Conservation Center in Somerset announced they have four new additions.
They welcomed one of North America's most iconic species. Four American Bison, one male and three females, arrived at the ICC in December. They were each born this past summer and are roughly eight months old.
They come to the zoo through a partnership with a prairie-based nature reserve in Central Montana, called American Prairie. Both the zoo and the nature reserve are part of the Saving Animals from Extinction (SAFE) program which hopes to merge resources of facilities across North America to recover bison and restore their native habitat.
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'This is the beginning of an exciting breeding and reintroduction program that will repatriate bison to indigenous territories across the United States,' ICC Director Ayeshah Al-Humaidhi said. 'The herd will also provide training opportunities for animal care managers across zoological institutions and our Native American partners.'
Bison, which are more commonly referred to as buffalos, are the official mammal of the United States and the largest land animal in North America. Due to hunting and habitat loss, their population dwindled and just over a thousand were believed to be left at the turn of the 20th century.
Today the population is listed as 'near threatened,' and through preservation efforts is being slowly reintroduced to the wild.
At the ICC, the bison will serve as ambassadors for their species, helping visitors understand the vital role they play in the ecosystem as a keystone species and the importance of preserving their natural habitats.
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