05/08/2026
Great American Buffalo Slaughter (1870s-1880s)
The largest intentional mass killing of wild animals in human history
Prior to American colonization over 60 million North American buffalo roamed the continent. By the end of the 19th century less than 1,000 remained, pushing the species to the brink of extinction
The Buffalo were an essential species for the nomadic Sioux tribes who used nearly every part of the buffalo for food, shelter, and clothing
Beginning in the 1870s the American government enacted mass buffalo hunting as a deliberate strategy to deprive the Great Plains tribes of their life source
Alongside the U.S. Military, thousands of settlers went west on great hunts that they viewed as sport, business, and manifest destiny. Figures such as Buffalo Bill became household names for killing thousands of buffalo and sharing their tall tales back east. They marketed themselves as entertainers and toured the world with “Wild West” outdoor shows
Modern conservation efforts have helped the Buffalo population recover to about 500,000, but most of which are held in the hands of private industry
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