Six bison calves born at Wanuskewin

Six bison calves – three male and three female – have been born at Wanuskewin Heritage Park, a major milestone for the reintroduced herd at the national heritage site.

(Wanuskewin/Submitted)

Wanuskewin began its reintroduction program in 2019 with six plains bison from Grasslands National Park and five bison from the western United States. According to Wanuskewin, the bison currently living at the park are genetically “very similar to the ones that roamed the plains before 1870.”

With the new additions, their herd numbers 24. The park aims to more than double that number to 50 over the next few years.

Bison were pushed near to extinction by 1870 due to overhunting, disease and colonization. According to a statement from Wanuskewin, an estimated population of 30 million animals dwindled to only about a thousand.

The herd at the heritage park – which is aiming to be designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site – are a “spiritual and teaching herd allowing guests to better understand the sacred relationship with Plains Indigenous Cultures,” the park said in a statement.