Buffalo slaughter left lasting impact on Indigenous peoples.

This article focuses on the economic and social impacts of the mass slaughter of North American bison on Indigenous peoples whose livelihoods depended on the animals. Economists from Emory University, the University of Toronto, and the University of Victoria quantified the immediate and long-term consequences, finding that bison-reliant Indigenous nations experienced significant declines in health, income, and employment compared to non-bison-reliant nations, with income per capita remaining 25% lower through 2019. The study highlights factors such as limited access to credit and geographic isolation from financial institutions as barriers to economic recovery. The researchers also note the cultural and psychological significance of the bison to Indigenous communities and suggest further investigation into the trauma associated with their loss.