Good news in Alaska - wild baby bison! [View all]

[Blue_In_AK]

Last edited Wed Apr 27, 2016, 11:20 PM - Edit history (1)

Facebook post from the Alaska Department of Fish & Game

ADF&G Biologists spotted the first wild-bred, wild-born, wood bison calf in over a hundred years this week in the Lower Yukon/Innoko area. This monumental event is a milestone that marks the beginning of a viable, wild, and growing population of wood bison in the USA and Alaska. The stock used to reintroduce wood bison to Alaska had been in captivity over many generations (since 1957) in order to save this unique northern subspecies from extinction. Some people had doubts that the bison would become wild again and prosper in their old homelands after such a long time behind fences with supplemental food, water, and shelter.

Since their reintroduction in spring of 2015, the Alaska wood bison have shown that they are right at home along the lower Yukon, and as of this week, calves are being born and the population is growing with no input or assistance from humans. It was not without difficulty. In the first few months after release, some bison died as natural selection chose the strongest and culled the weakest. Now, the bison fit for life in the wild remain, and robust young calves will soon increase the population of the 130 that were released. This week marks the dawn of an era: the era of WILD wood bison conservation in the USA, with Alaska at the helm.

2 calves have been spotted to date. ADF&G is expecting about 30 new calves this year.