This project was initiated by the Bison Specialist Group of North America (BSG), which is an assemblage of bison specialists, operating under the auspices of the Species Survival Commission (SSC). There is currently no unified conservation plan for bison in North America. The BSG requires a status survey as the basis for developing a bison conservation strategy for North America. This status assessment includes plains and wood bison herds managed by municipal, state, provincial, and federal governments, and several herds managed by private organizations with clear conservation objectives. Through a process of iterative consultation with members of the BSG and other collaborators, dialogue with conservation herd managers across North America, and extensive compilation and review of relevant literature, this document represents a current and comprehensive treatment of North American bison status. The survey addresses the taxonomic, numerical, geographic, demographic, habitat, genetic, disease, and legal status of bison. The status survey concludes with a list of conservation action recommendations to assist the BSG with setting priorities for bison conservation.