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The Buffalo of the Northern Plains: The Comeback of a Keystone Species is now showing in the Helen Bergh Education Room, inviting visitors on a powerful 18-minute journey through the history and recovery of one of the prairie’s most iconic animals. Wonderfully produced by McQuillen Creative and funded by Dean Buntrock, the film traces the story of the American bison from the vast, thundering herds that once dominated the Northern Plains, through the devastating era of white settlement when numbers fell to fewer than 1,000 animals, and into the era of determined conservation that brought this regal symbol of the prairie back from the brink. The video also includes the voice and perspective of Ronald Brownotter of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, whose contribution connects the bison’s near destruction and renewal to the Native experience on the Plains — a story of survival, cultural endurance, and renewal alongside the land and its animals. Together, these narratives highlight the ecological importance of bison as a keystone species and their deep cultural and environmental significance.
Produced in conjunction with Northern State University and the Dacotah Prairie Museum, the film features insights from Northern biology faculty Dr. Jodie Ramsay, Dr. Eric Pulis, and Dr. Samantha St. Clair, who help explain the role of bison in the prairie ecosystem and enrich the visitor experience connected to the Rosemarie & Dean L. Buntrock Gallery. This immersive gallery, which welcomes guests with a full bison mount and interactive biodiversity displays, reflects the strong partnership between Northern and the museum — a collaboration that includes faculty expertise, student involvement, and shared commitment to community learning. The video adds depth to the exhibit experience, reminding viewers that the bison’s comeback is not just a wildlife success story, but a testament to resilience, stewardship, and the enduring spirit of the Northern Plains.
See the video here on the Dacotah Prairie Museum YouTube Channel:
