RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) Ted Turner has been inducted into the National Buffalo Foundation Hall of Fame.

The honor came last night at Mount Rushmore during a session of the International Bison Conference.

Turner who amassed a fortune as a cable-TV pioneer started raising buffalo in 1978.

He had three buffalo at the time, but has since grown to become the largest buffalo rancher in the world.

Turner now has 42-thousand head on 13 ranches in South Dakota, Colorado, Kansas, Montana, New Mexico, Nebraska and Oklahoma. His South Dakota buffalo ranch is west of Fort Pierre.

Turner also has 48 restaurants that feature buffalo meat, and he plans to double that number in the next two years.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 07-25-07 0845CDT | save this article / add to your favorites list