Thursday 21 May 2015

Plains Bison in Banff National Park



Plains bison were reintroduced into Banff National Park in March 2015.


For those unable to watch embedded see here.





In the mid-1800s the majority of Plains Bison had been eliminated from the continent except for a few free ranging herds. They have always had a role in the ecosystem by their creation and maintenance of grasslands and meadows through grazing and physical disturbance of the ground. Bison are also a food source to predators.

The First Nations and pioneers benefited from the bison in years past. This reintroduction will assist the cultural reconnection which has been lost for over a century.

A long-term maximum population for Banff will be in the range of 600 – 1,000 individuals. To protect the initial relocation area it will only be accessed by established trails on foot or on horseback. For those who venture too closely the bison can create safety risks such as human fatalities. They weigh 450-900 kilograms, are agile for their size and capable of speeds up to 70 kilometres an hour. The areas of “the Panther and Red Deer River valleys, and the Fairholme Bench area of the lower Bow Valley” are locations that have the appropriate range habitat to support the bison.

The first phase of the reintroduction includes placing 30-50 bison in a temporary soft release paddock in the Panther-Dormer River area in the summer/fall. These plains bison will come from the herd at Elk Island National Park. The phasing in period will be over the next five years and beyond. Currently the Dormer River Valley is closed for prescribed fired burnings which will enhance new vegetation growth for the plains bison to be placed there.

This is exciting as it has been quite some time that Banff National Park has had the plains bison available to the public. During some of my early visits to Banff in childhood (late 1950s-1962), I recall seeing the plains bison in the various paddocks.


Research: ParksCanada

3 comments:

Charles Gramlich said...

Very cool. I love when they do things like this, and it often has good consequences for other local life forms.

Pierre Cormier said...

The bison program just got Parks approval. Plans in the works for bison moving in park. No bison released yet.

Barbara Martin said...

Charles, it will be quite the hike into the Dormer River Valley which is located near the eastern boundary of Banff National Park. Visitation in the Fairholme Range will make it easier for tourists to the park.

Pierre, welcome. Yes, the bison are expected to be released in summer/fall of this year. It wasn't quite stipulated in the article on the ParksCanada website. I expect it will be determined when the new growth comes after the prescribed fire burnings of the area. Being optimistic often sees most things through to a positive conclusion.