Naturally Yours: Wood bison an ancient species

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In the northern part of our region lives a creature that has been roaming the area since before the last ice age.  Few wood bison remain but they continue to be an important part of the boreal forest.

Bison, including both the wood and plains subspecies, are huge animals, standing about 2 meters (6 ft) at the shoulder and weighing as much as a ton. The animals are brown with darker, long fur on the head and front legs. Both males and females have horns.  Wood bison are larger than the plains bison and have a prominent hump.

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Historically bison were found across Alberta with the plains bison on the southern grasslands and the wood bison in the forests.  After their near-demise in the 1800s, Wood Buffalo National Park was established to protect one of the last herds of wood bison. Additional animals were moved there from Elk Island National Park and in the 1980s new wood bison herds were established in a number of locations including Alberta’s Hay-Zama Lakes.

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Wood bison live in small mixed herds that stay on their home range year-round. The rut takes place in the fall when bulls compete for females. The cows give birth to a single calf the following May.  Like many creatures of open country, bison calves can run within hours of birth.  The youngsters aren’t weaned for about seven months and they will stay with their mother until she has her next calf.

Bison are grazers with a preference for grasses and sedges. They eat different forage than deer and elk and spend most of their time in forest openings and wet meadows.  In the past, their grazing and wallowing activities likely shaped the landscape, maintaining meadow habitat within the forests.

Aside from humans, the bison’s only serious predator is the wolf.  In areas like Wood Buffalo, bison are an important food source for the resident wolf packs as well as the scavengers that feed from the kills.

When bison were moved into Wood Buffalo they introduced brucellosis and tuberculosis into the wild herd. These diseases remain a concern in and around the park and wildlife managers continue to wrestle with how to deal with the issue.  The Hay-Zama herd remains disease free and as the population grows it will likely be used as a healthy source for new re-introductions.

Bison will never again roam the continent in large numbers but the healthy, northern herds of wood bison continue to thrive. Hopefully human activities won’t negatively affect that future.