ison ▁in ▁two ▁past ures . ▁Similarly , ▁the ▁Southern ▁U te ▁Tri be ▁in ▁Colorado ▁has ▁raised ▁nearly ▁ 3 0 ▁b ison ▁in ▁a ▁ 3 5 0 - acre ▁f enced ▁past ure . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁R ut gers ▁University ▁Professor ▁Frank ▁Po pper , ▁b ison ▁rest oration ▁brings ▁better ▁meat ▁and ▁e colog ical ▁health ▁to ▁the ▁pla ins ▁region , ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁rest oring ▁b ison - Native ▁American ▁relations . ▁However , ▁there ▁is ▁a ▁considerable ▁risk ▁involved ▁with ▁rest oring ▁the ▁b ison ▁population : ▁bru cell osis . ▁If ▁b ison ▁are ▁introduced ▁in ▁large ▁numbers , ▁the ▁risk ▁of ▁bru cell osis ▁is ▁high . ▁ ▁B ison ▁conservation : ▁a ▁symbol ▁of ▁Native ▁American ▁he aling ▁ ▁For ▁some ▁sp okes men , ▁the ▁res urg ence ▁of ▁the ▁b ison ▁population ▁reflect s ▁a ▁cultural ▁and ▁spiritual ▁recovery ▁from ▁the ▁effects ▁of ▁b ison ▁hunting ▁in ▁mid - 1 8 0 0 s . ▁By ▁creating ▁groups ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁Inter - T rib al ▁B ison ▁Cooper ative ▁and ▁the ▁Buff alo ▁Field ▁Camp aign , ▁Native ▁Americans ▁are ▁hoping ▁to ▁not ▁only ▁restore ▁the ▁b ison ▁population ▁but ▁also ▁improve ▁solid ar ity ▁and ▁mor ale ▁among ▁their ▁tribes . ▁" We ▁recognize ▁the ▁b ison ▁as ▁a ▁symbol ▁of ▁strength ▁in ▁unity ," ▁stated ▁Fred ▁Dub ray , ▁former ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Inter - T rib al ▁B ison ▁Cooper ative . ▁" We ▁believe ▁that