Texas State Bison Herd An American Icon Donald Beard TPWD

Описание: Bison are the keystone species of the Great Plains of North America. With numbers estimated historically somewhere between 30 – 60 million animals ranging the continent, these shaggy creatures were deeply engrained in the fabric of our history as a nation and state. Our not too distant ancestors were responsible for driving these amazing creatures to the brink of extinction a short 130 years ago. A few forward thinking men (and women) had the foresight to see the path of peril that these animals were facing and stepped up to help save this magnificent animal. One of these men was Charles Goodnight. At the urging of his wife Mary Ann, he was able to save a few animals from the canyon country in the Panhandle of Texas. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has taken the challenge of protecting the Goodnight Bison herd and has undertaken a project of massive proportion to restore these animals to a part of their historical range.

Caprock Canyons State Park Superintendent Donald Beard is responsible for the management of this great herd. He has a passion for these animals and has been stricken with the “bison fever”. His enthusiasm is evident in his delivery of the powerful journey of the Texas State Bison Herd. His presentation discusses the past history of bison in North America and the Goodnight herd, the present state of the animals along with the future plans for the Charles Goodnight Bison Herd, the “Official Bison Herd of the State of Texas”. This presentation is a perfect fit for any group interested in the history of the North American Bison, Charles Goodnight, the Texas Panhandle, or anyone interested in discovering the incredible amount of history in our Texas State Parks.