What is depicted in this picture?

This is a rare photograph of Bison skulls from the 1800's, depicting about 180,000 Bison killed for their tongues, horns, hides and bones. For the most part, the meat was left to rot.

The Bison were killed off by gunners in trains, companies who made tremendous profits from hides, companies who made profits by converting their bones into carbon fertilizers, etc, and land companies looking to expand their fortunes.

It is estimated that when the advance of the American pioneers went west, there were over 60 million Bison wandering the Great Plains. By 1890, there were fewer than 2,000.

Today, with the help of conservation efforts, started by President Theodore Roosevelt, there are approximately 500,000 Bison, with the majority living in the Canadian Plains.

The near extinction of the American Bison was brought on by several factors.

1. Clearing land for the advancement west.

2. Hides for clothing and furniture.

3. Basic greed.

4. Elimination of the primary source of sustenance of the Native American Plains Indians (sponsored by the US Government), who used almost every part of the Bison for their livelihood. This drove them into smaller enclosures (Reservations), or to Canada. This was just part of the Genocide of the Native American Indian. Thousands starved to death during this process.