The goal of the Bison Conservation and Transfer Program is to rehome Yellowstone-origin bison to Native American Tribes and support the ecological and cultural conservation of this iconic species. This program reconnects bison and Tribes, reduces the number of animals that are slaughtered, and preserves the unique genetic makeup of Yellowstone bison by introducing them into other bison herds.
In the early 1900s, there were only about two dozen Yellowstone bison. These icons of the American West were brought back from the brink of extinction. Decades in the making, the Bison Conservation and Transfer Program is a collaborative conservation effort. In August 2019, Yellowstone National Park moved 55 bison to the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in northeastern Montana. It was the first direct relocation of Yellowstone bison to a new home as an alternative to slaughter. The Bison Conservation and Transfer Program has been overwhelmingly successful, transferring the largest number of Yellowstone bison to Tribes in history. Since 2019, a total of 414 Yellowstone bison have been transferred to the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes at Fort Peck. Nearly all of those bison and their offspring have then been further distributed to 29 Tribes across 13 states and Canada in partnership with the InterTribal Buffalo Council.
However, before bison can be transferred to land outside Yellowstone, they must be quarantined and repeatedly tested for the disease brucellosis for one to three years. Yellowstone Forever was an integral partner in funding the recent expansion of the Yellowstone bison quarantine facility. Today, the facilities within Yellowstone can hold up to 200 adult animals annually and support the transfer of 100-300 bison to Tribes each year. Continued success of the Bison Conservation and Transfer Program requires ongoing financial support for animal husbandry, disease testing, and education and outreach.
Most recently, another 116 bison were transferred to Fort Peck in early February 2024 and those animals were distributed to tribes across North America and Canada in February 2025. Currently, there are two large family groups completing the last stages of testing in the park. For family groups, all of the females need to breed and calve in the quarantine facility to be cleared of having the disease. There are more than 200 animals in these groups and the new moms, calves, and breeder bulls are set to be transferred this upcoming winter (the final number will depend on how many calves are born).
The Bison Conservation Transfer Program continues to make history, having relocated the largest number of live Yellowstone bison to American Indian Tribes in the world.
“I longed for that time when Tatanka Sicun, Buffalo Spirit as ancestor, mingled with mine…then yesterday it came…it came in the form of trucks and trailers carrying sacred beings into the realm of our higher plains…”
— Lois Red Elk, member, Fort Peck Sioux
The Bison Conservation and Transfer Program aims to:
Yellowstone preserves the most important bison herd in the United States. We envision a future where wild bison are restored to Tribal lands and other conservation areas across the West—a future where Yellowstone bison roam freely outside the park boundary without large-scale slaughter and hazing operations.
Substantial work remains to build capacity for the program to ensure more bison can be transferred to Tribal lands and other conservation areas. You can make a difference by supporting this project.
Your gift will play a critical role in preserving the Yellowstone bison, expanding bison herds across the country, supporting education and outreach and helping Tribes recover an important part of their culture and heritage.
