NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

~~BISON OF THE NWT~~

The MacKenzie Bison Sanctuary is just east of Fort Providence in Canada's Northwest Terrirotories. It 1963, to ensure the protection and propagation of pure wood bison, the Canadian Wildlife Service transferred 18 disease-free animals to the reserve. The bison were granted endangered species status in 1964. A survey in June 1982 showed that the Fort Providence population contained at least 1,002 bison of which 128 were calves. In March 1983, approximately 80 animals, including calves, were found about 30km northwest of the Sanctuary. Those animals, which had separated from the main herd, indicate that the bison are successfully expanding their range.

Bison are gregarious and form mixed groups of cows, calves, yearlings and subadults. Bulls often form groups of their own, but a few are part of the mixed herds at all times of the year. The herds are wary and sensitive to changes in their environment. The bison's senses of smell and eyesight are extremely well developed, they can detect movement a kilometer away and distinguish smells from 3 kilometers.

Bison are easily frightened and an alarmed herd may lose control and stampede. When that occurs, the normally slow plodding animals break into a trot and then a rocking gallop, attaining a top speed of 60 kilmeters an hour.

The Fort Providence herd in the Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary is the largest wild herd of wood bison in the world and represents the only entirely successful transplant of healthy wood bison into historically occupied range. The goals are to manage the Sanctuary to maintain a healthy bison population, to use the herd for transplants to other areas and to allow the wise use of some surplus animals by the residents of the Territories. The ultimate goal is to remove wood bison from the list of endangered species.

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