In Wyoming, the Eastern Shoshone tribe decided to classify buffalo as wildlife. Here is why

For centuries, buffalo roamed freely across the plains, central to life for many Indigenous nations. This month, the Eastern Shoshone took a step toward restoring that bond—voting to reclassify buffalo as wildlife rather than livestock. It’s a legal shift, yes—but also a cultural one, challenging the framework that views animals primarily as products. With climate and biodiversity in the balance, the decision offers a new way to think about stewardship: not control, but coexistence. And other tribes may soon follow.

Taylar Stagner

Associated Press

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