The American Buffalo, a film by Ken Burns about the destruction of the buffalo

[Catherine]

The American Buffalo documents the destruction of the American Bison.
It is one of the largest animal slaughters in history. Whole herds were wiped out. All they took were the hides. The rest of the bufalo were left on the plains to decay.
Later the bones were gathered and sold. 
They came very close to causing the extinction of the Bison.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbvXn2FPEDE

It was a horrible wasteful, action. It wasn't hunting, it was slaughter. The prairie ecosystem has not been as stable since.
The bison are a keystone species for the plains. Where the buffalo live the land is healthy and there is biodiversity.
The buffalo were almost wiped out, but gradually they are being brought back. That would be the subject of another movie.