PUEBLO, Colo. — A metal bison sculpture created by Native youth in Denver that was reported stolen along with the trailer transporting it over the weekend have been recovered.
The artwork was in Pueblo for a community education program.
The youth woke up to discover the trailer and sculpture had been stolen early Saturday morning from the Springhills Suite at the Marriott parking lot.
The artwork had been traveling through Denver, Boulder and Colorado Springs before arriving in Pueblo for a program at the El Pueblo History Museum.
On Monday, Pueblo police said the sculpture and trailer was recovered on N. Hudson Avenue near Ruppel Street.
The "Bison Resilience" sculpture is a youth-led art installation made possible by Casa Milagro Youth Solutions, a Denver-based nonprofit dedicated to helping children and teens heal from abuse and trauma.
The sculpture was created as part of the Bison Resilience Project — an educational initiative tied to the Bison Harvest at the TallBull Memorial Grounds.
It carries deep cultural significance, representing the genocide of the bison and its devastating impact on Native communities.
The piece also honors the bison's remarkable resurgence — from a historic population of 16 million, to fewer than 1,000 and back to over 500,000 today.
The rear section portrays a full, strong bison symbolizing the thriving era of pre-colonization.
The center features a skeletal design representing hardship, trauma and historical struggle.
The front represents survival, recovery and moving forward with resilience
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