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Conservation Success of Wood Bison: A Case Study of an Endangered Species Recovery

The wood bison, once critically endangered, offers a compelling case study in species recovery through targeted interventions. In the late 1800s, populations dwindled to just 800 individuals due to hunting and disease. Key milestones in conservation included protective laws, the establishment of Wood Bison National Park, and the discovery of pure wood bison in the 1960s. The species was classified as endangered in 1979 but was later downgraded to threatened in 1988. Ongoing threats include disease, habitat loss, and genetic integrity concerns, highlighting the complexity of wildlife conservation.

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Conservation Success of Wood Bison: A Case Study of an Endangered Species Recovery

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  1. 4.2.6 Case histories of Species and Natural Area

  2. Wood Bison as an example of an endangered species whose conservation status has been improved by intervention.

  3. Wood Bison (WB): • 1800's: 60,000,000 total and 168,000 wood bison (WB) • 1889 : 800 total and 550 WB • due to hunting (meat and hide) and disease? • First protective laws 1877-93 • 1925/28- 6673 diseased plains buffalo (PB) sent to WBNP (Wood Bison National Park) (1922) • infected WB and compromised their genetic integrity • ie PB X WB; the concern? Are there any "pure" WB • 1959/63- discovery of "pure" WB in WBNP • 37 WB are the ancestors of all "pure" WB • 1975-WB Recovery Programme • 1977-International Commercial Trade Prohibited under CITES (Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species) • 1979- classified as "endangered" by COSEWIC (Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada) • 1983- WBNP made a World Heritage Site by UNESCO • 1988- downgraded to "threatened" • 1990- Northern Diseased Bison Environmental Assessment Panel

  4. Threats- • 1. Disease-bovine tuberculosis/anthrax/bovine viral diarrhea • 2. Habitat Loss- advancement of agriculture/logging/ roads/ urbanization • 3. Genetic Diversity-are there pure WB left? Hybridization with PB. • Even if pure they came from only 37 individuals ie bottleneck effect. Therefore the dilemma between maintaining genetic integrity and increasing gene pool. • Predation: wolves and poachers • Domestication- further hybridization with PB and cattle-does not promote genetic integrity • Red Tape- prov. and fed. Gov't-env./resources/ agriculture • 1st Nations/ Interest Groups(Greenpeace) / Industries-logging/agriculture/tourism • International Agencies-UNESCO, WWF • Money required to study and protect WB

  5. Biological Significance of a Natural Area • Eg. Wood Bison National Park (WBNP)-1922 • -1983 WHS by UNESCO • location: Boundary between Alberta and Northwest territories. Wilderness area of Northern Boreal Plains- • Vegetation- white spruce/black spruce/prairie grasses species/sphagnum moss/meadows • Conservation value-WB/ whooping crane • Threats- contamination of "pure" WB by PB and cattle

  6. extermination of all bison to eliminate disease and start with fresh bison • drying up of delta due to Bennett Dam and climate • water quality of Peace River affected by pulp and paper mills upstream of park • changing water levels affect nesting sites of whooping crane • native land claims

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