Heirloom Bison

Nature Conservancy

For the first time in 150 years, bison have been born on native prairie in Iowa within a herd established exclusively for conservation.

Bison help native grasslands to thrive. But most bison herds today aren’t pure — they’ve been bred with cattle. Only two herds exist in the United States that show no evidence of cattle genes. These herds are serving as “source” herds for efforts to reintroduce pure bison to other prairie locations, such as Iowa’s Broken Kettle Grasslands Preserve.