By Bryan Eneas

Wildfire in national park could help dwindling bison herd

May 22, 2018 | 5:00 PM

While the wildfire burning in the Prince Albert National Park is putting cabin-owners on edge, it could be beneficial to a unique animal population in the area.

The National Park is home to a herd of bison, whose numbers are dwindling. In the early 2000s counts indicated the herd’s numbers were nearing 500, but the most recent count earlier this year showed less than 100 bison roamed the park.

That’s according to Gord Vaadeland, executive director of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society’s Prince Albert Chapter. Vaadeland has observed the bison for years and worked with a group of ranchers in the area to deal with any problems arising from the herd’s presence in the area.

“In the long run, the wildfire is going to help the bison for sure, because it creates habitat,” Vaadeland said. “Generally fires this time of year can be a problem, especially for young wildlife that isn’t mobile.”

Based on his experience with the animals, Vaadeland said the calves are fairly mobile at this time of year and cows are smart enough to get their children to safety away from the wildfire. He estimated the so-called Rabbit Creek Fire will have a negligible impact on the mortality rate of bison in the park, though it’s caused concern in other areas.

long-term care

La Ronge housing shortage discussed at SUMA convention

9h ago

Trades in Sask.

Skilled trades need not limited to building homes

Apr 17, 2024

snowfall

Extreme weather leads to cancelled flights at La Ronge Airport

Apr 17, 2024

“In the short term, it is quite frustrating and concerning and quite scary,” Vaadeland said. “Everybody is a little concerned with the proximity of the fire, although there’s no immediate danger yet.”

With the fires expanding their habitat in the national park, Vaadeland said it’s more likely the bison will stay in the park in the future. The main reason the populations are dwindling is due to overharvesting when the animals roam outside of the park boundaries, he said.

“The only people who are allowed to hunt them are Treaty Indigenous hunters,” Vaadeland said. “It’s completely legal under their treaty rights, but the harvest has reached a level where it’s completely unsustainable.”

He said while band leaders in the region are on board with trying to limit the number of bison taken every year, it’s ultimately up to the individual hunters to restrain themselves.

According to a statement issued by the National Park, the animals were herded north to winter pasturelands, and have not yet returned into the area affected by the wildfires.

“As such, the herd is not currently impacted,” a Parks Canada spokesperson said.

Over the years the bison’s seasonal grazing lands have been encroached by aspen tree growth, the spokesperson added, and the fires will serve to rejuvenate meadows and grasslands where the animals feed.

According to the Government of Canada, Parks Canada has been working to reintroduce plains bison to different regions of the country for well over 100 years. The goal of repopulating the bison in the national park was to provide a source of meat to Indigenous communities in the region. The animals in the Prince Albert National Park were reintroduced in 1956 to the North, but they soon migrated south and took up residence within the park. Many were relocated while a small number of animals were left to establish the population which exists today.

Bryan.Eneas@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @BryanEneas