Parks Canada relocating 40 plains bison to Key First Nation Treaty 4

Parks Canada and the Nature Conservancy of Canada have relocated 40 plains bison to the Key First Nation, about 80 km north of Yorkton.

Last week, 20 plains bison from Grasslands National Park, as well as 20 from Old Man On His Back Heritage Conservation area were relocated to the First Nation.

In the 1880s, over-hunting decimated bison numbers, which was devastating for many Indigenous communities.

Parks Canada said returning the bison will help to graze the land, and manage the ecosystem.

The Key First Nation, Parks Canada and Nature Conservancy of Canada are working to maintain the animals.

“Working with all the different groups and collaboration of everybody is what’s actually brought plains bison back to the strengths that they have to this day and hopefully getting stronger moving into the future,” said Ryan Hayes, Grasslands National Park Bison Operations Coordinator.

In 2023, Parks Canada is working with Elk Island National Park, with plans to provide more bison to an Indigenous community or conservation group that’s interested.

0:51 Ecologist on preserving free-ranging bison herd in Saskatchewan