American Bison - Buffalo Field Campaign

Chapter 9 Conservation Guidelines for
Population, Genetic, and
Disease Management
9.1 Introduction and Principles
This chapter provides management and policy-relevant
guidelines to foster bison conservation and full recovery.
Lead Authors: John E. Gross, Natalie D. Halbert, and James N. Derr
Contributors: Keith Aune, Joel Berger, Brett T. Elkin, C. Cormack Gates, Peter J.P. Gogan, David
Hunter, Damien O. Joly, Duane J. Lammers, Nicholas C. Larter, Daniel Licht, Rurik List, Robert L.
Paulson, Jenny Powers, Robert O. Stephenson, Joe Truett, Rick Wallen, and Margaret Wild
Conservation implies retaining desirable ecological, cultural, and
genetic characteristics that currently exist, while full recovery
implies a broader vision—bison populations inhabiting areas
that permit full expression of natural behaviours and ecosystems
functioning in ways similar to those of the past.
We focus on guidelines and principles that are broadly
applicable, and we avoided highly specific, prescriptive
recommendations. This approach requires managers and others
to understand the basis for our guidelines, and to evaluate
carefully how a guideline can best be implemented in a particular
situation. We provide only brief reviews of the scientific basis for
guidelines, and readers should refer to chapters four, five, and
six in this volume for more comprehensive information on bison
genetics, disease, and ecology.
A small set of overarching principles is the foundation for most
of the guidelines in this chapter, and they provide a framework
for developing and assessing conservation actions. These key
principles are:
1) Maximize the number of bison in a population. Larger
populations better retain natural variation, and are more
resilient to ‘surprises’ or catastrophic events. Strive to
achieve a ‘maximum sustainable’ rather than a ‘minimum
viable’ population size.
2) Support and promote ‘wild’ conditions and behaviours.
Where possible, provide an environment where bison
are integral to community and ecosystem processes
(Table 9.1). Behaviours and demographic processes
should reflect natural selection, and active management
interventions should be minimized. Wild bison herds use
very large ranges.
Plate 9.1 The bison is an interactive species. Here wolves are hunting and
feeding on a plains bison they have killed and ravens are scavenging (middle
photo). Top and middle photos: Douglas Smith, lower photo: Dwight Lutsey.
American Bison: Status Survey and Conservation Guidelines 2010 85