Fort McMurray Fun Facts On Wood Bison

Wood bison are the largest land-dwelling mammals
in North America. They are currently classified
as a threatened species, as per the Committee on
the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada
(COSEWIC). Parks Canada has taken action against
the threat to wood bison, and have a full
recovery plan in force. Currently, wood bison can
be found in these three free-range populations in
Canada: the Mackenzie population (between Fort
Providence and Yellowknife), the Nahanni
population (along the Liard River Valley south
into northeastern British Columbia and
southeastern Yukon Territory), and the Wood
Buffalo National Park population (in northeastern
Alberta and southern Northwest Territories).
While you won't see a free-roaming wood bison
from the window of your Fort McMurray apartment,
you can pay the wood bison a visit when you go to
the Wood Buffalo National Park, which has the
largest population of wood bison. Here are some
fun facts about wood bison to keep in mind on
your visit to Wood Buffalo National Park.

Bachelor Living

Male Wood bison live a life fit for a bachelor;
they tend to live in solitude, and will only join
larger herds with female Wood bison when it is
time for them to mate. Mating season is between
June and September, with peak mating activity in
July and August. If you book a Fort McMurray
rental between April and May, you will have the
exciting opportunity to witness the births of
baby calves, as the gestation period is between
270-285 days. The litter size is usually just one
calf. Baby calves stay with the mother until they
are sexually mature. Similar to humans, women
mature faster than men (note: this is an
observation, not a fact); male bison are fully
mature after six years, whereas female bison are
fully mature after three years. Wood bison are
very social creatures; when a male bison reaches
the age of three, they join a herd with other
bachelors. Since they move around so frequently,
they rarely overgraze an area.

Physiology

Wood bison are often confused with Buffalo, but
can be distinguished from Buffalo by their large
shoulder that is humped. They have short legs and
a long tail, with a furry end, which is called a
tuft. The fur on a wood bison is dark-brown, and
it is so thick that snow can cover their backs
without melting. In the summer, their fur sheds
so they don't get too hot. Just above their eyes
are short, black, curved horns which they use to
protect themselves from predators. Since they
have poor vision, they have to rely on their
sense of smell to warn them of potential
attackers. Luckily, their sense of smell is very
strong, and they are able to smell an animal that
is three kilometers away.

Threats to Survival

Wood bison are a threatened species, but are
currently making a comeback. The main threat of
wood bison is disease. There are three major
bacterial diseases which affect wood bison today
(brucellosis, bovine tuberculosis, and anthrax).
Important measures are in place to reduce the
spread of disease to healthy herds.


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While you won't see a free-roaming wood bison
from the window of your Fort McMurray apartment,
you can pay the wood bison a visit when you go to
the Wood Buffalo National Park in Fort
McMurray.Fort information on Fort McMurray
accommodations, please visit:
http://www.riverparkglen.ca/


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