JACKSON, Wyo. — On Oct. 7, Town Council announced that the Town of Jackson will donate a buffalo to the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative (WRTBI) as a token of generosity as the Wind River Reservation continues to work to restore its herd.
Town Council directed staff to provide funds to WRTBI when the Tribes purchase more buffalo this winter. According to the staff report, the idea for the gift originated after Town staff were hosted by the WRTBI in late August.
A date for the acquisition of the buffalo has not yet been set. Jason Baldes, WRTBI Executive Director and member of the Eastern Shoshone, told Buckrail that the Tribes plan to acquire more animals from other conservation populations sometime this winter — approximately 15 to 20 buffalo to enhance the herd’s genetic diversity.
Baldes founded WRTBI in 2022 to reestablish his community’s connection with buffalo. Baldes said that the reservation’s buffalo herd supports the lives, health and history of indigenous peoples.
“We are pleased to welcome folks from all over the world to see our efforts in Tribal buffalo restoration, and it resonates with people, to see buffalo and their relationship restored to the people that relied so heavily upon them,” Baldes said in thanks to the Town. “We are thankful for the Town of Jackson and their contribution to our endeavors.”
Baldes said that the Eastern Shoshone Tribe currently has 122 buffalo, and the Northern Arapaho Tribe has 97 buffalo. Both Tribes are working together on the Wind River Reservation to construct a fence on a 17 thousand acre expansion area for buffalo.
According to WRTBI, during the 1800s, buffalo were exterminated across Wind River. After 131 years, the first 10 buffalo were reintroduced to the Wind River Indian Reservation in 2016.
This past year, the Wind River Reservation received several buffalo transfers from the Denver Parks & Recreation Department. Previously, surplus buffalo were auctioned off, and over the last several years Denver Parks & Recreation has been giving the buffalo to Indigenous communities instead. On Jan. 4, the Eastern Shoshone Tribe released 10 new buffalo on the Wind River Reservation. On March 29, the Denver Parks & Recreation Department transferred nine buffalo to the Northern Arapaho Tribe.
