Page 202 - Our Vanishing Wild Life

—
180 OUR VANISHING WILD LIFE
should at once be given protection ! A black bear in the wilds is harmless. In captivity, posed as a household "pet," he is decidedly dangerous, and hadbestbegiventhemiddleoftheroad. Inbigforestsheisagrand stayer, and will not be exterminated from the fauna of the United States until Washington is wrecked by anarchists.
The American Bison.—I regard the American bison species as now reasonablysecureagainstextermination. Thisisduetothefactthatit breeds persistently and successfully in captivity, and to the great efforts that have been put forth by the United States Government, the Canadian Government, the American Bison Society, the New York Zoological So- ciety, and several private individuals.
The species reached its lowest ebb in 1889, when there were only 256 headincaptivityand835runningwild. Theincreasehasbeenasfollows
1888—W. T. Hornaday's census
1902—S. P. Langley's census
1905—Frank Baker's census
1908—W. T. Hornadav's census
1910—W. P. Wharton's census (in North Amevica) 1912—W. P. Wharton's census (in North America)
1,300 1,394 1,697 2,047 2,108 2,907
To-day, nearly one-half of the living bison are in very large govern- mental parks, perpetually established and breeding rapidly, as follows
In the United States.
Yellowstone ParK fenced herd, founded by Congress 125 Montana National Bison Range, founded by The American Bison Society 69 Wichita Bison Range, founded by The New Yo-k Zoological Society 39 Wind Cave Bison Range, S. Dakota, founded by Am. Bison Society .... To be stocked
Niobrara (Neb.) National Bison Range, now in process of creation
In Canada.
Buffalo Park, Wainwright, Alberta Elk Island Park, Alberta
Rocky Mountains Park, Banflf, Alberta
Total National and Provincial Preserves
To be stocked
1,052 53 27
1,365
Of wild bison there are only three groups: 49 head in the Yellowstone National Park, about 75 Pablo "outlaws" around the Montana Bison Range, and between 300 and 400 head in northern Athabasca, south- west of Fort Resolution, existing in small and widely scattered bands.
The efforts of man to atone for the great bison slaughter by preserv- ing the species from extinction have been crowned with success. Two governments and two thousand individuals have shared this task, solely for sentimental reasons. In these facts we find reason to hope and believe that other efforts now being made to save other species from annihilation will be equally successful.
::