Are bison extinct?
No. In fact, the American Plains bison isn’t even listed as endangered any more. It was a close-run thing though. In the 19th century, bison were systematically hunted for their skins. The rest of the carcass was just left to rot on the ground, where it lay. In the 1870s, anywhere between 2,000 and 100,000 bison were killed every day. At one point, the entire species numbered just 541 individuals. The bison was saved from extinction by ranchers who rounded up the few remaining animals and began to breed them. Bison have also been cross-bred with cattle to help retain enough genetic diversity. Although they are different species, bison can readily interbreed with other bovines, however the male offspring are usually sterile.
Answered by Luis Villazon.