The Southern Herd: Bison Recovery in Mexico

Описание: It wasn't until the late 1990s that it was acknowledged that the original bison range included northern Mexico. Since then, efforts to protect and restore the species have been carried out with varying success. The border wall excluded the Janos-Hidalgo free ranging bi-national herd from Mexico, but reintroduced bison from Wind Cave National Park in Janos, have now increased to over six hundred individuals in three populations, and an additional one will be formed soon in Sonora, as part of wider rewilding efforts.

Rurik List is a professor at the Research Area on Conservation Biology at the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Lerma. He is a Mexican carnivore and conservation biologist. His work focuses on research and implementation of actions that advance the conservation of carnivores, threatened species and their habitats. He has a special interest in species’ reintroductions, and in the identification and protection of biologically important areas. An important part of his activities is on outreach about the species and areas he studies and about Nature conservation issues in general. Most of his career has taken place in grasslands and temperate forests. He has been involved in research and in conservation efforts with species like bison, black-footed ferret, Mexican wolf, kit fox and jaguar.

Mirna Manteca is a biologist with over ten years of experience working in the US–Mexico borderlands. She specializes in ecological connectivity, road ecology, and community engagement, focusing on integrated solutions that protect wildlife movement through large landscapes by combining applied science with key stakeholder participation. She has led regional monitoring initiatives for species such as jaguar and ocelot, strengthening ecological corridors and promoting coexistence between ranchers and predators in priority conservation areas. Mirna currently serves as Rewilding Coordinator for Cuenca Los Ojos, where she supports landscape-scale restoration and connectivity efforts. She previously served as co-chair of the Latin America and Caribbean Transport Working Group within the IUCN Connectivity Conservation Specialist Group and is a co-founder of the Asociación Mujeres y Conservación. Her work is grounded in cross-sector collaboration, applied science, and strong community engagement.