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Sixty years later Blue Mounds still plays big role in Minnesota bison conservation

Lead Summary
,
By
Mavis Fodness

Sixty years after three bison arrived north of Luverne, a new herd of the wooly mammals is starting in another Minnesota location.
The Zollman Zoo in Olmsted County near Byron joins Minnesota’s Bison Conservation Herd.
The long-term goal of the program is to build a conservation herd of 500 purebred bison to ensure its long-term stability in Minnesota.
Currently the program consists of 130 bison.
Hunted to the brink of extinction, the American bison numbered in the hundreds in the U.S. before conservation efforts began.
The Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley, which rebuilt its bison herd using offspring from the Blue Mounds bison, oversees the conservation program’s health care and breeding.
“It’s the Minnesota Zoo’s mission to protect wildlife around the world, and it’s exciting to be able to contribute to the collaborative project to help a rare species right here in our own backyard,” said Tony Fisher with the Minnesota Zoo.
Rock County was the first in the state to have purebred bison 60 years ago when three from Fort Niobora National Wildlife Refuge in Nebraska relocated to the Mound Springs Recreational Area north of Luverne on Nov. 3, 1961.
According to news accounts at the time, that same year the park’s name changed to Blue Mounds State Park.
Don Gordon was the park’s manager 60 years ago. He worked with the park committee and the Minnesota Conservation Department (predecessor of the MnDNR) to bring the bison to Minnesota.
Luverne officials encouraged the conservation department to purchase 50 acres of native prairie that came up for sale near the recreation area and establish a bison herd.
“I’m sure it will be an outstanding attraction,” Gordon said in 1961, “not only for the people of the community, but for people from all over the country who visit the park every summer.”
 
Bison lead to 2020 record park visits
The initial bison herd to Blue Mounds — one bull and two cows — has grown to 100 cow-calf pairs, yearling and breeding stock.
In 2020 Blue Mounds recorded 268,000 visitors, the most since the program opened.
Current park manager Chris Ingebretsen said park officials were updated last month about the bison conservation program and the importance the Blue Mounds herd has in the program’s continued success.
“Blue Mounds State Park will always be a key part of it,” Ingebretsen said.
Currently 540 acres of the 1,000-acre park is dedicated to the bison. The park is at the maximum number of bison and sells about 30 head each fall.
Genetic testing completed in 2012 by the Minnesota Zoo shows the current bison herd is free of cattle genetics. This makes them rare among modern bison and key to the success of the conservation herd.
Minneopa State Park near Mankato received Blue Mounds bison for the herd program in 2015.

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