Wood Bison Portrait

He is in Elk Island National Park, part of the last herd that is genetically pure. At one time there was a huge herd in Wood Buffalo National park but they all were ravaged by TB and Brucellosis and it was thought that they were either extinct or far too interbred with the plains bison. A small herd was found in 1957 and relocated to Elk Island park. Unfortunately they detected Brucellosis in the herd so as calves were born, the cows were slaughtered in order to eradicate the disease. So all the present day herd are descendants of those bottle fed calves! I spend a lot of time there and have had some great conversations with the park rangers!
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