Name: Bison returning to parts of North America
Uploaded: 2026-01-19T01:41:55.157Z
Duration: 2 min 13 s
Description: After decades of careful land management, bison are returning in small pockets across their historic North American range. Marissa Perlman reports.

After decades of careful land management, bison are returning in small pockets across their historic North American range. Marissa Perlman reports.

A herd of six bison has been released onto the Burlington Prairie in Illinois, signifying a significant step in the ongoing effort to reintroduce the species to its native habitat. Once vital to indigenous communities, bison were nearly driven to extinction around 200 years ago due to changes brought by the Industrial Revolution.

The American Indian Center will steward the herd, with plans to expand their range in the spring to aid in grassland restoration. Community members and tribal elders participated in the event, highlighting the cultural and ecological importance of the bison's return.

Bison returning to parts of North America

We end with a milestone in the extraordinary effort to bring back the North American bison. For centuries, they were vital to indigenous life until they were driven to the brink of extinction about 200 years ago. In tonight's Weekend Journal, CBS' Marissa Perlman reports on their long-awaited return to the Illinois prairie. This story starts just after sunrise on Burlington Prairie, a community caravan returning to land and to home to meet long-lost relatives. We're going to sing a song, welcome our new relatives. And then, the moment everyone's been waiting for, six bison stepping back onto their homeland. More than 200 years ago, bison roamed freely across Illinois. But as the Industrial Revolution reshaped the landscape, bison disappeared. Now after decades of careful land management, they're returning in small pockets across their historic North American range. The American Indian Center will steward this herd, and in the spring, they'll be released into a larger fenced prairie to help restore native grasslands. It's a great thing that they're doing, bringing them back. Lisa Burnell watched alongside her mother and son. This family says this is something that feels deeply personal. Sitting bull and crazy horse, like we were always talking about stories and the relationships that we've had with these animals. They provided us with everything we ever needed. Tribal elder Robert Wapaki tasked with sharing the importance of that return home with this community and praying over the land where the bison will live. We are welcoming them back home. That's their home, not mine. And in their footsteps, a story once broken begins again. Marissa Pearlman, CBS News, Burlington, Illinois.

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