Stand Your Ground

Bison are large bovines in the genus Bison. The terms buffalo and bison are often used interchangeably but the buffalo and bison are distinct animals. Cape buffalo and water buffalo are native to Africa and Asia. Bison are found in North America and Europe.

Thanks to conservation efforts, bison are no longer endangered.  Today, about 30,000 bison live in conservation-focused herds throughout North America.  There are now about 2,200 plains bison and about 11,000 wood bison roaming wild in Canada. Populations of bison remain vulnerable to habitat loss, disease and with domesticated bison that have cattle genes. 

Because of the Kenow Wildfire in September 2017, Parks Canada had to relocate the bison from Waterton Lakes National Park. On February 19, 2021 six plains bison from Elk Island National Park were welcomed back to the Waterton Lakes National Park bison paddock.  The rough prairie grassland in the park’s bison paddock had regrown enough after the wildfire to sustain the herd.

Blackfoot Elders from the Kainai Nation, the Piikani Nation and the Siksika Nation welcomed the bison back to the park. The bison were released into the park’s isolated winter paddock and in the late spring they were moved to the larger summer paddock until fall. Three bison calves were born in the spring of 2022. 

Waterton Lakes National Park has maintained a herd of plains bison in its bison paddock since 1952.  In spring, summer and fall, you can drive the Bison Paddock Loop Road and see the bison as they roam within the fenced enclosure. Everyone was excited to learn that the Bison were back in the Park. 

Bison are wild animals and can be unpredictable and dangerous.  One must stay inside your vehicle when viewing the bison from the Bison Paddock Loop Road.  Drive slowly and take photos from a safe distance.  Unfortunately pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists are not allowed on the Bison Paddock Loop Road.

Bison seem to tolerate the presence of people most of the time, but if you come too close, they may lash out. In Yellowstone National Park, they implore you to stay at least 25 yards away from bison.

Long before the acquisition of the horse, the Plains Indians hunted wild bison on foot. A great place to discover how they hunted bison is to visit Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump in Southern Alberta.  

Grizzly bears and wolves can kill adult bison but bison usually face their attackers and defend themselves as a group.  This makes them more difficult to kill than if they ran away. 

These are the sayings on the bookmark called Advice from a Bison.

• Stand your ground

• Have a tough hide

• Keep moving on

• Cherish wide open spaces

• Have a strong spirit

• Roam wild and free

• Let the chips fall where they may!

Here are my comments about each of these sayings. 

• Stand your ground - Don’t run away from a situation.  Face it bravely.  

• Have a tough hide - Be strong and determined. You can tolerate any difficulty that comes your way. 

• Keep moving on - Keep moving forward.  

• Cherish wide open spaces - Enjoy the outdoors.

• Have a strong spirit - Being strong in spirit will help you feel positive and confident in who you are. 

• Roam wild and free - To be wild and free means owning your strengths and weaknesses.  You have unique gifts and talents that you can share with others.  

• Let the chips fall where they may! - Do your best and allow events to happen without trying to change them. 

Have a great day everyone.  Stand your ground and keep moving forward.  

# living life abundantly   # published author   # travelling tuesdays