Final answer:
The estimated population of buffalo in North America in 1889 was extremely low, with the species nearly extinct due to overhunting and habitat loss.
Step-by-step explanation:
The estimated population of buffalo in North America in 1889 was drastically low. By the late 19th century, aggressive hunting and expansion into the Great Plains had drastically reduced the bison population. From numbering in the tens of millions, the population of the American bison, also known as buffalo, had dwindled to the point of near extinction, with numbers as low as a few hundred individuals. This historical event is significant as it represents a critical moment in conservation history and the need for wildlife protection measures. The collapse of the buffalo population had adverse effects on the ecosystems of the American prairies and deeply impacted the cultures of Native American tribes for whom the buffalo was a central resource.