1888—W.T. Hornaday's census 1,300
1902—S.P. Langley's census 1,394
1905—Frank Baker's census 1,697
1908—W.T. Hornaday's census 2,047
1910—W.P. Wharton's census (in North America) 2,108
1912—W.P. Wharton's census (in North America) 2,907

To-day, nearly one-half of the living bison are in very large governmental 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 York 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 To be stocked
In Canada
Buffalo Park, Wainwright, Alberta 1,052
Elk Island Park, Alberta 53
Rocky Mountains Park, Banff, Alberta 27
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Total National and Provincial Preserves 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, southwest of Fort Resolution, existing in small and widely scattered bands.

The efforts of man to atone for the great bison slaughter by preserving 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.


CHAPTER XVIII

THE PRESENT AND FUTURE OF AFRICAN GAME