The return of bison ten years ago to their home on tribal lands at the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation has helped restore an ecosystem and tribal culture.

Earthjustice is using the power of the law to restore and recover wildlife — including bison.

“Both males and females have horns”

Montana judge rejects effort to classify wild bison as“livestock”

Once numbering approximately 30 million across the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains, wild bison were almost driven to extinction by market hunters in the late 19th century. Montana was among their last strongholds, but the slaughter persisted until in 1903, when only about 25 of the animals remained in the wild. Those last wild bison…

Earthjustice has filed a brief in response to new efforts to prevent bison restoration by classifying wild bison as livestock.

Anti-bison interests are asking a Montana court to declare that the transplanted bison are “livestock” instead of “wildlife” under state law if they leave the reservations and roam on to public or private lands.

As wild bison return to the plains, ranchers target them as livestock

Bison transfer to Fort Belknap tribes to proceed

More than 100 years ago, bison were slaughtered by the millions. In the spring of 2012, the great herds were being re-born on the Great Plains—one baby at a time.

Home on the range, where the deer and antelope play? Forget about it. How about buffalo (yeah, I know they’re really bison). After years of dreaming about getting one of the original Americans back out on the prairie where they belong, we’re a big step closer to seeing it happen. After killing every last buffalo…