One of the factors that almost led to the extinction of the buffalo was overhunting. Humans sometimes hunted buffalo for food, but mainly just for fun. In fact, by the 1800s, the species was nearly wiped out. Nowadays, buffalo thrive once again due to strictly regulated hunting laws. In some parts of the country, there are some fields in which buffalo may be hunted recreationally, but for the most part, you must have a license to hunt them.
             Another factor that decreases the population of buffalo is predators. Buffalo have many predators including Grizzly bears, black bears, gray wolves, and cougars. The Grizzly bear is especially deadly, but there aren't many of them in buffalo territory. Gray wolves rarely pick out a healthy buffalo to kill. They mostly attack the young, the sick, and old buffaloes. Diseases also affected the buffalo's status. Bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis were probably the main diseases. Brucellosis came from European cattle. Buffalo also experienced sudden outbreaks of anthrax, a disease caused by a bacterium in the soil. Animals that were exposed to it usually died within days.
             Buffalo have eating habits similar to cattle. They eat grasses, sedges, and other forage. In the winter, they feed mostly on bushes and plants. Buffalo have a great influence on their habitat because they travel in such large herds. They love to wallow in shallow ponds and streams. Their main habitat is the prairie, but they will graze in nearby open fields when the prairie grasses are in short supply.
             Ways Scientists Ensure the Survival of Buffalo
             Scientists have done many things to ensure the survival of the buffalo. They have created many preserves across the U.S. A preserve is an area of land in which buffalo are fed and sheltered and have health examinations. By doing this, scientists have learned how to best preserve the species and found cures for many of the buffalo diseases.
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