LAST HERD OF WILD BUFFALO.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1915, Page 10

LAST HERD OF WILD BUFFALO.

Most people have thought that there were no longer any buffalo in North America. The great herds which half a century ago, and earlier, roamed ove r the Western Plains of (he United .States, are. of course, all gene, ami here ami there a few bend in captivity, in zoological parks and elsewhere, have been assumed by the great, mass of the people (o he the last remnants of (his once numerous animal.

But no so. Although almost extinct, if, is inleresfing to note, as reported by the American consul at Calgary, Alberta. Panada, that a herd of wild buffalo. 4110 to Sinn .strong, is still ut large in the northern part' of that province, and in the adjoining 'Mackenzie district. fn addition to the protection given this herd by 11 >■ ■ Royal North-west Mounted Police, the dominion government Iris tieder engagement two men to patrol the district to protect the butl'alo from hunters and wolves.

This small herd represents the very last, of the wild buffalo. Tn Canadian parks at Jl.mIT, T.amont, Elk Islam! park, and Buffalo park, there is a total of -about 1000 head. Tn the United States a few hundred head survive in the Yellovslone National Park, on the Flathead Indian reservation. Western Montana, and leiscwherc.

In Hie nineteenth century (here were wild bull alo as far east as Ohio, and until after the civil war they roamed what are now the plains states in herds that ivcre tens of thousands strong.