Lucielle Contreras: Bringing Buffalo Back to Texas

It's April 22nd.

Welcome in.

This is El Paso News Today, where local news meets AI.

I'm Corey with the story.

Lucio Contreras, a Leapon Apache woman, is leading the charge to bring Buffalo back to

Texas through her Texas Tribal Buffalo project, the first.

Native woman led group of its kind here.

She's got 30 Buffalo on her ranches in Floresville and Welder, part of the over 8,100 bison now

roaming the state.

She hosted indigenous folks from around the world at her ranch during the recent Buffalo

Beyond Borders, gathering in San Antonio, marking her fourth.

Traditional Buffalo harvest with a sacred ceremony to honor their deep ancestral ties.

For Contreras, Buffalo aren't just animals.

They shaped her people's food, shelter, religion, and even governance.

After the great slaughter of the 19th century, nearly erased them from Texas.

She spent six years reconnecting with herds in South Dakota before, bringing that

bond home.

These Buffalo do more than restore culture.

They aerate the soil with every step, waking up native seed banks to make grasses, plants,

soil, and everyone healthier.

Her nonprofit even hands out free, protein packed bison meat to support pregnant indigenous

mothers.

Contreras sees this as real life-free matriation, with elder females guiding their herds just

like she's guiding her people, paving the way for more Texas.

Use descendants to step up as bison caretakers.