The Cherokee Nation is set to receive a tractor-trailer load of bison to add to the tribe's herd on its 1,000-acre ranch in the unincorporated Kenwood community in northeastern Oklahoma.
The tribe is to receive about 50 bison from a national park in South Dakota on Thursday after acquiring the animals from the InterTribal Buffalo Council. The Cherokee Nation had gone 40 years without raising bison until last year and now has 68 head of bison on its ranch.
The InterTribal Buffalo Council awards its member tribes surplus bison from national parks each year. Badlands National Park has about 400 head of surplus bison annually.
Cherokee Nation Secretary of State Chuck Hoskin Jr. said the bison are a cultural asset that helps the tribe reconnect with its history.
-------------------------------------------------
KGOU is a community-supported news organization and relies on contributions from readers and listeners to fulfill its mission of public service to Oklahoma and beyond. Donate online, or by contacting our Membership department.
