Plans are underway to reintroduce an iconic species to Banff National Park.
The Federal Government and Parks Canada announced on Friday their plans to bring back the Plains Bison.
It’s been well over a century since Plains Bison freely roamed through Banff National Park.
In fact, the species was almost wiped out entirely before the park was established.
Environment Minister Peter Kent says it’s time they returned.
“With the eventual reintroduction of the Plains Bison, we also re-connect a species that was once on the verge of extinction to a habitat where it had previously ranged for thousands of years,” says Kent.
However, it could be two or three years before we’ll see Plains Bison roaming in open areas in Banff. That’s how long it will take for an extensive consultation process to be completed.
Conservationists say reintroducing Bison will help restore other native species.
However, there are concerns about what happens if the bison migrate beyond park boundaries.
The fence that lines the TransCanada Highway through the park would prevent encroachment, which is a problem in other areas. There is still the question of safety and human interaction, with millions of visitors to Banff each year.
Bison were successfully reintroduced to Grasslands National Park in Saskatchewan five years ago, after a 120-year absence.
Comments