USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -When the Transcontinental Railroad was completed in 1869, it accelerated the decimation of the species and by 1900, naturalists estimated less than 1, 000 bison remained. By the late 1880s, the endless herds of bison were wiped out and just a few hundred individuals remained.

Detailed explanation-2: -Once roaming in vast herds, the species nearly became extinct by a combination of commercial hunting and slaughter in the 19th century and introduction of bovine diseases from domestic cattle. With a population in excess of 60 million in the late 18th century, the species was culled down to just 541 animals by 1889.

Detailed explanation-3: -The destruction of the bison had two important consequences: It left the vast grasslands open to the herds of cattle moving north from Texas. Now cattle ranches appeared in the north. More importantly, though, it robbed the Plains Tribes of the one resource that allowed them to move across the plains.

Detailed explanation-4: -European settlers and militia wanted to create farms, settlements, trains, and other developments and left little room for the First Nations or the bison in their plans. Many of the bison were wiped out by diseases from domestic cattle and loss of habitat from farmers and ranchers.

Detailed explanation-5: -The bison went nearly extinct. We can all agree upon that. They seem to have been nearly wiped out by overgrazing and by diseases at least some of which were native to the continent. And this was after roughly 14, 000 years sharing North America with people and not going extinct.