On February 1, 16 bison were released into Banff National Park, the first wave of the ungulates that are part of a five-year recovery plan/Parks Canada, Dan Rafla

Those hoof beats audible in Banff National Park in Canada are from bison, a charismatic animal that long has been missing from the park's ecosystem.

On the first of this month, a recovery program trotted out of holding containers as Plains bison taken from Elk Island National Park were released into the Panther Valley of Banff National Park. The historic return of bison coincides with the 150th anniversary of Canada’s confederation. After being absent from the wild for over a century, their homecoming is a historic and cultural triumph, a release from Parks Canada said.

"This is a historic moment and a perfect way to mark Canada’s 150. Not only are bison a keystone species and an icon of Canada’s history, they are an integral part of the lives of indigenous peoples," said Catherine McKenna, Canada's minister of Environment and Climate Change. "By returning plains bison to Banff National Park, Parks Canada is taking an important step towards restoring the full diversity of species and natural processes to the park’s ecosystems while providing new opportunities for Canadians and visitors to connect with the story of this iconic species.”

Although free-roaming bison have been absent from the landscape for more than 100 years, they were historically dominant grazers that helped shape the ecosystems of what is now Banff National Park. The restoration of bison to Banff will return a keystone species to the landscape, foster cultural reconnection, inspire discovery, and provide stewardship and learning opportunities. In the long-term, by re-establishing a new wild population within its historical range in Banff, this will be a key contribution to national and international bison conservation efforts.

For 16 months, the bison will remain in an enclosed pasture in the Panther Valley, closely monitored by Parks Canada. In approximately June 2018, the herd will be released to explore the full 745-square-mile reintroduction zone in the remote eastern slopes of Banff, where they will interact with other native species, forage for food, and fulfill their missing role in the ecosystem.

This is the first step in the five-year pilot project that will inform future decisions regarding restoring wild bison in Banff over the long-term. Demonstrating world leadership in species recovery, Parks Canada is taking a careful, animal-health focused approach to translocating bison. 

What steps were a part of the bison translocation?

In early 2017, Parks Canada selected 16 healthy bison (primarily pregnant 2-year-olds) for transfer to Banff. Prior to the transfer, these animals were quarantined for three weeks and underwent health testing to ensure they were free of diseases of concern (e.g., bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis).

In late January, the animals were loaded into shipping containers, custom modified to safely transport bison. They were transported overnight by truck approximately 250 miles to the government-owned Ya Ha Tinda Ranch near the border of Banff National Park.

Upon arrival at the ranch, the bison remained in the containers overnight and were closely monitored by Parks Canada staff.

The following morning, the shipping containers were airlifted by helicopter to a “soft-release” pasture in Banff’s Panther Valley. Once released in the pasture, Parks Canada staff will continue to monitor the health of the herd and ensure the new arrivals have access to food and water.

The bison will be kept in the soft release pasture for approximately 16 months before being released in 2018 to roam freely in the reintroduction zone.