About 400,000 bison live across North America today, but most are managed as livestock—nearly 90% are classified that way, according to one account. The question of whether bison should be treated as wildlife rather than livestock directly affects land management and grazing rights. One recent federal action in eastern Montana focuses on public lands on the rolling plains and involves revoking grazing leases tied to the presence of bison. The dispute reflects broader, long-running contention over how bison restoration should be handled and how existing grazing operations should coexist with bison. Bison are described as a keystone species, meaning they are considered to have outsized ecological influence and also hold significant cultural importance. While the sources highlight political and regulatory dimensions of the issue, they converge on the same core point: classification of bison—wildlife versus livestock—drives decisions over grazing access on public lands and therefore can determine the direction and implementation of bison restoration efforts.