Wood Bison Vehicle Collisions

Page Map

• Why are Bison using road corridors in the first place?
• What is the extent of the problem?
• Who is responsible for managing the highways and the wildlife that are on the highways?
• Factors Involved In Wood Bison Collisions
• other
• Traffic Factors
• Wildlife Factors
• Seasonal and Diurnal Factors
• What can highway managers do to reduce collisions with Wood Bison?
• What can drivers do to reduce their risk of Bison vehicle collisions?
• Wood Bison Vehicle Collisions in Northwestern Canada
• Northwest Territories
• Yukon Territory
• Alberta
• British Columbia

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One consequence of the reintroduction of Wood Bison to the Canadian northwestern boreal forest is that several reintroduced herds have suffered significant mortality caused by vehicle collisions.

In March 1996, less than one year after reintroduction, the Etthithun Lake herd suffered 20% mortality, when 3 out of 15 animals were killed by collisions with vehicles.

In the Nordquist Herd, vehicle collisions are the primary cause of Wood Bison mortality.

Highway 3, the Yellowknife Highway, the only road to Yellowknife, runs right through the middle of the core range for the Mackenzie Herd. In 2007, 30 Wood Bison were killed by vehicle collisions.

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Why are Wood Bison using road corridors in the first place?

Wood Bison are attracted to the roads and roadside areas for a variety of reasons.

Disturbed sites on highway rights of way provide good establishment of palatable vegetation and planted range mixes

Vegetation on the side of road is a very accessible food source at all times of the year and Wood Bison have become habituated to this source of forage

Right of way forage is well maintained (cut/mowed often), so it is very palatable with lots of vegetative growth

Highways and rights of way are often windy, so animals can get relief from biting insects

Herd animals benefit from wide open highways and rights of way which provide good visibility and long sightlines assisting bison to avoid predators

Highways and rights of way can provide easier routes of travel than forested locations, especially during times of deep snow

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What is the extent of the problem?

Bison can be encountered on the following roads in northwestern Canada:

• Alaska Highway in BC and the Yukon
• Highway 97 in British Columbia, near Pink Mountain
• Highway 3, the Yellowknife Highway in NWT
• Highway 5, the Fort Smith Highway in NWT
• Highway 7, the Liard highway in NWT
• Zama Road in Alberta

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Who is responsible for managing the highways and the wildlife that are on the highways?

One of the difficulties in reducing wildlife vehicle collisions is that different agencies are responsible for the components of the issue, and they often have conflicting mandates.

Jurisdiction	Wildlife	Highways
Northwest Territories	Department of Environment and Natural Resources	Department of Transportation
Yukon Territory	Department of Environment	Department of Highways and Public Works
Alberta	Ministry of Sustainable Resource Development	Ministry of Transportation
British Columbia	Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources	Public Works and Government Services Canada

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Factors Involved in Wood Bison Vehicle Collisions

Traffic Factors

Traffic volume

• There are 1200 to 1300 vehicles per day on Alaska Highway and more than ever before, many vehicles are industrial

Traffic speed

• Long straight stretches allow drivers to drive at speeds well over the posted limits

The Wildlife Factor

Factors that influence Wood Bison behaviour and movement near roads are extremely important in understanding why bison vehicle collisions occur.

Wood Bison density

• Wood Bison are social animals and are generally found in a herd
• For example, in the Nordquist herd, at times, all 100 individuals have been observed on the Alaska highway at the same time

Wood Bison behaviour

• Accessible forage allows for feeding along the road at all times of year
• Head position and eye reflectivity - Wood Bison generally stand with their head lowered. This means that although Wood Bison eyes can reflect light back at approaching vehicles, it seldom happens. Drivers should not expect to see glowing eyes in the dark.

• Seasonality - Wood Bison may react differently to vehicles at different times of the year:
  
  • spring (May/June) - young calves are present
  • fall - animals may have unpredictable behaviour during the rutting season (July-August)
  • winter - food is scarce and hunger and the search for food may dominate over any other perceived threats
• Wood Bison reactions to dangerous stimuli on the highways is influenced by adaptation, genetics, conditioning and previous experiences.
  

  • Predator prey relationships – herd animals need good sightlines to avoid predators and highways and wide rights of way provide this. Wood Bison become conditioned to the wide open highway environment

  • Fight or flight response - Wood Bison have adapted to avoid predators that approach low to the ground and from the rear or side. They have few adaptations or hereditary experience to deal with a "predator" that approaches at an extremely fast, constant speed from one direction. Their fight or flight "zones" - the areas within which they are comfortable or agitated, become unpredictable

  • Social hierarchy - In herd animals, age, gender, and dominance rank provide strong motivations for behavioural responses to stimuli

  • Herd vs individuals - the individual animal may react differently if it is alone or within its herd group. Fight/flight zones and social distance (the area within which other bison are tolerated), may vary if the animal is alone or within a herd

Relationships Among Personal, Social and Flight Distances for Bison

Adapted from Fowler, 1995

The diagram below, from the work of Dr. T. Grandin, Colorado State University, uses an example of a cow being approached by a handler to illustrate the complex nature of the animal's reaction to stimuli. Wood Bison reaction to approaching predators or vehicles may involve some of the same factors.

Flight Zone and Point of Balance for Cattle

Seasonal and Diurnal Factors

Seasonal Patterns

Information available on the highest risk times of day and highest risk months for Wood Bison collisions comes from two sources, the Northwest Territories,

The Northwest Territories seasonal and diurnal data is shown in greater detail below, but in summary, for NWT highways, the highest risk months are August to November, and generally, the highest risk times of day are at night, sunset and sunrise.

ICBC data indicated that for the BC portion of the Alaska Highway, the highest numbers of collisions occur in January and November, and the peak frequency of collisions occurs between 12:00 - 2:00 am and 4:00 - 6:00 pm. However, this is based on only a small sample size of 17 collisions between 1996 and 2005, and the actual number of collisions is likely much higher.

Recent seasonal and diurnal studies in northern BC on collision data involving moose, deer, elk and bear, indicate that high risk months and high risk times of day can vary significantly by geographic location. More detailed site specific research for each Wood Bison herd, similar to NWT analyses shown below, needs to be carried out.

Diurnal Patterns

Low and changing light levels at dawn, dusk, and during the night increase the risk of Wood Bison collisions for a number of reasons:

• Wood Bison may be more active during times of low light
• There is poor visibility for drivers
• Wood Bison are very dark coloured – they have no white patches (like moose, deer or elk) to catch or reflect light
• During snow fall, the snow accumulates on the backs of the Wood Bison, so there is no contrast between the animal and the ground

Poster Used Along the Alaska Highway to Emphasize
the Difficulty of Seeing Wood Bison at Night

Poster courtesy of Public Works and Government Services Canada and the Wildlife Collision Prevention Program

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What Can Highway Managers do to Reduce Collisions with Wood Bison?

There are a variety of mitigative techniques that can be employed to reduce the risk of encountering wildlife on the road. Go to the What Can Highway Managers Do? page for a general discussion of wildlife collision mitigation. This section will discuss mitigative options that are Wood Bison specific.

Vegetation Management and Habitat Alteration Away from the Highway or Right of Way

Lure Wood Bison away from the roadside area by:

• Enhancement of forage or habitat through fertilization or seeding.
  • Early to mid 1990's - In an attempt to keep the Aishihik herd off the Alaska Highway, the Yukon Government cleared and seeded an old burn area and set up drift fences across the mouth of the Aishihik Valley. There was no irrigation and subsequently, little growth of the new forage. The seeding never provided much of a crop, but the fence did stop less motivated animals from coming out onto the highway. However, eventually, they came down other valleys or found their way around the ends of the fence. Then, wildlife officials had to do some baiting to lure the herd back to the correct side of the fence.
    
    An unintended consequence of the baiting was that a Wood Bison vehicle collision occurred during the project. A hand full of hay (literally) was dropped on the highway from the tailgate of a truck and was not noticed by wildlife officials. The motorist claimed that the hay caused the animal to be on the road and therefore was the primary contributing cause of the collision. The matter was settled out of court.
    
    Other jurisdictions carrying out diversionary feeding or baiting projects need to be mindful of actual or perceived government liability.If the actions of government employees have directly caused the animals to be present on the road, and if a wildlife collision occurs, there may be grounds for the government to be found liable.

• Range burning to enhance browse quality and quantity
• Salt block placement - tried with the Hay Zama herd with minimal results
• Intercept feeding
  • Jurisdictions carrying out diversionary feeding, supplemental feeding, intercept feeding or baiting projects need to be mindful of actual or perceived government liability. If the actions of government employees have directly caused the animals to be present on the road, and if a wildlife collision occurs, there may be grounds for the government to be found liable.

Vegetation Management/Habitat Alteration in the Right of Way

Implement vegetation management practices to make forage in the roadside area unappealing by:

• Planting or seeding of unpalatable forage species
• Using bittering agents such as Ropel on the forage to make it unpalatable for grazing – tried with the Aishihik herd and found ineffective
• Mowing practices
  • During the summer of 2008, Public Works and Government Services Canada is trying out a new methods of mowing in select stretches of the BC portion of the Alaska Highway. In areas where the forage is growing vigourously, a swath of 1 to 3 mower widths (12 to 36 feet) parallel to the tree line will not be mowed, therefore leaving more forage available for the winter. The unmowed areas will then be snowplowed in the winter, to provide trails parallel to the treeline that have more forage then the rest of the right of way that is closer to the highway. In the winter of 2007, the cat trails parallel to the treeline appeared to have some success in keeping the Wood Bison off the highway and in the right of way (see section on winter maintenance below).

Exclusion Fencing

Due to the large size of Wood Bison and the extent of their range, wildlife fencing is not an option. Several Wood Bison herds have escaped from strongly built paddocks which were intended to contain them for several years.

Bison Warning Signs

The effectiveness of wildlife warning signs is difficult to assess. Studies suggest that wildlife warning signage does not reduce wildlife collision rates. However, jurisdictions do have a responsibility to notify drivers of hazards that they might encounter while driving. Drivers need to know that wildlife warning sign locations are in areas of high wildlife usage and not randomly scattered across the landscape.

In order to make signs as effective as possible the following should be considered:

• Wood Bison collision hazard is higher in the fall and winter. Signage should emphasize the seasonal risks. Either signs should be removed during lower risk times, or enhanced during higher risk times.
• Studies show that larger signs do have more impact
• Signs with a non traditional format or signs that change slightly in colour, format or content along the length of the highway may be more noticeable
• Signs that are portable and can be moved as bison herds move are more effective
• Signs that personalize the animal may be more effective. For example, signs used in the Parks Canada Watch out for Wildlife campaign use almost life size photographs of the animal’s face, where the eyes of the animal appear to be looking directly at the motorists
• Signs that emphasize the danger that the animal poses to the driver, and not simply the presence of the animal on the road, may be more effective
• Signs that are enhanced by flashing lights or flags during high risk times of year may be more effective

One consequence of non traditional signage is that unusual signs attract thieves - build extra into your budget or produce souvenir size signs for sale.

Examples of bison warning signs are shown on the Wood Bison Resources page.

Highway and right of way maintenance in the winter

• Snow plowing escape routes off the highways in the winter may reduce Wood Bison density on the road – tried in winter 06/07 with the Nordquist herd with limited success
• Snow plowing cat trails parallel to the highway but along the tree line may encourage Wood Bison to forage and stay in the right of way as opposed to moving onto the road surface – tried with the Nordquist herd in winter 07/08 and found effective

Harassment/Hazing

• Heli-hazing
  • tried with Aishihik herd and found ineffective and high costs incurred
  • tried with Hay Zama herd. The Wood Bison learned quickly to hide in the nearest bushes, wait for the helicopter to leave, and then return to grazing.
• Horse herding – tried with Aishihik herd and found ineffective, and high costs incurred
• Rubber Bullets
  • tried with the Hay-Zama herd and found ineffective
  • tried with Aishihik herd and found ineffective
• Harassment with dogs

Wildlife Culls or Hunting

• Cull of Lead Bull - tried with the Hay-Zama herd – herd would leave (led by head cow) and not come back for some time
• Hunting
  • If hunting is implemented managers need to:
  • Manage carefully as this is an endangered species
  • Realize implications and public concerns
  • Realize hunting may cause Wood Bison behaviour changes as well as reduce population density
  • Understand cause and effect of changes in Wood Bison behaviour due to hunting
  • determine exactly what the Wood Bison responding to? Bison are quick learners

Enforced Speed Reduction

This would be effective, especially during the night hours, but little or no public support exists.

For any mitigation that is implemented, managers should:

• Collect baseline information
• Use a combination of techniques in an adaptive management framework
• Implement strategy in a way that it can be monitored

What can drivers do to reduce their risk of Wood Bison collisions?

Watch for the Signs

What do those signs really mean?

A Wildlife Warning Sign warns of a hazard ahead, and advises drivers to be cautious. The sign does not require drivers to slow down to a particular speed, unless there is an adjacent speed limit sign posted as well.

Wildlife warning signs are placed in areas of frequent wildlife use or high collision risk locations.

Drivers must obey wildlife warning signs and any associated speed changes. Drivers must not disregard the signs even if they have been seen many times before. Driver complacency is dangerous.

Reduce Speed

Speed is one of the most common factors in vehicle collisions. Speed:

• Reduces the drivers ability to steer away from objects in the roadway
• Causes drivers to overdrive their headlights at night
• Extends the distance required to stop
• Increases the force of impact, in the event of a collision

With good road conditions, drivers tend to increase their speed. Some studies suggest that wildlife vehicle collisions occur more than expected on clear nights, on dry road conditions and on long straight stretches. Drivers may tend to be more cautious on curves or in poor weather

By maintaining the posted speed, drivers can compensate for increased risk.

Poster Used Along the Alaska Highway to Emphasize Speed Danger

Poster courtesy of the Wildlife Collision Prevention Program
and Public Works and Government Services Canada

Think "What If...?"

• Mental preparation is a useful tool.
• Think about and predict what you might do if an animal suddenly appeared in front of you or ran towards your vehicle.
• It is better to think about and learn how to avoid an encounter with wildlife, than have to react to a dangerous situation when you are unprepared.

Drive Defensively

• Drivers and passengers should actively watch for:
  • Wildlife - on the road, in the ditch, on the shoulder, and in the right of way
  • Movement on or alongside the road
  • Flickering head lights of oncoming cars or tail lights of the vehicles in front of you - which may be an animal crossing the road
  • Roadside reflectors that disappear/reappear, which might indicate an animal crossing in front of them
• Watch out between dusk and dawn. Light levels are low, and animals are active.
• Wood Bison collisions often occur at dusk, pre-dawn and during the night. Be prepared.

Use Your Vehicle

• Maintain your vehicle - Keep head lights, signal lights, and tail lights clean and in good working order.
• Clean your windshield, inside and out, once a week, or more if someone smokes, and check and repair windshield wiper blades.
• Keep head lights properly aligned to avoid blinding other drivers and optimize road coverage.
• Wear your seatbelt at all times.
• Honk your horn or flash your lights to scare animals off the road.
• In a 3 lane situation, when it is safe to do so, and when it is not impeding other traffic, drive in the middle lane to provide more distance from the ditch.
• Use high beams when it is safe to do so, and scan the road ahead with quick glances.
• At night, use the high beams of the vehicle in front of you to extend your effective sight distance.

• Investigate an "Electronic Stability Control" system for your vehicle

Electronic Stability Control

Electronic Stability Control ("ESC") helps you maintain control of your vehicle in emergency avoidance manoeuvres such as swerving around wildlife. ESC detects and corrects loss of vehicle control. If you skid, ESC works together with your antilock braking system and automatically applies braking to the correct wheel to help you regain control. ESC reacts instantly, often correcting your direction before you know you are skidding.

Click here for more information on ESC.

What Should Drivers do if They See Wildlife on the Road?

Slow Down - collision avoidance and driver response time are improved at slower speeds

Anticipate unpredictable behaviour from all wildlife

Determine what the animal is doing and where it is going

Wood Bison are herd animals. Where there is one animal, there is almost always more.

More detailed information on animal behaviour is found on The Wildlife Factor page.
Please have a look there.

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Wood Bison Vehicle Collisions in Northwestern Canada

Northwest Territories

The information below was presented at the Bison and Roads Committee meeting in December 2006, at Fort Nelson, BC, by John Nishi, Northwest Territories, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, with additional information provided by Nic Larter, Dehcho Regional Biologist, Department of Environment & Natural Resources, Ft. Simpson, Northwest Territories.

Other sources of information were:

• National Recovery Plan for the Wood Bison (Bison bison athabascae) (2001)
• Fact Sheet: Species at Risk: Wood Bison on the Northwest Territories website
• Conservation of North American Bison: Status and Recommendations
• History and Current Status of the Nahanni Wood Bison Population

• Wood Bison Management Strategy for the Northwest Territories 2010 - 2020

Mackenzie herd. Population estimated at 1600 (2008 count)

• Hwy 3, Yellowknife Hwy, right in the middle of the home range
• Collisions commonly occur between Mackenzie River Crossing and Yellowknife
• Highway 5 and Highway 7 are becoming a concern for bison vehicle collisions
• Approx 84% of NWT Wood Bison vehicle collisions involve this herd
• Largest herd in Canada

Nahanni herd. Population estimated at 400 (2004 count)

• Highway 7, Liard Hwy
• Approx 15% of NWT Wood Bison collisions involve this herd (12 mortalities 2000-2005)

Slave River Lowlands herd. Population estimated at 1000 (2009 count)

• Diseased herd
• Highway 5, Fort Smith Hwy
• Approx 1% of NWT Wood Bison collisions involve this herd

The Northwest Territories are concerned with encroachment and infection from the diseased Wood Bison National Park population into the NWT herds and with maintaining the disease free status of the Alberta Hay-Zama herd.

Summary of NWT Bison Vehicle Collisions

The Northwest Territories has conducted considerable analysis of Wood Bison vehicle collisions occurring in their jurisdiction.

In 2009, the first human fatality associated with bison vehicke collisions occurred on Highway 3.

The risk of bison collisions on Highway 3 are increasing each year as bison extend their range closer to Yellowknife.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) is also concerned about the number of bison vehicle collisions along Highway 5 to Fort Smith. DOT is collaborating with Parks Canada to reduce collisions by raising public awareness.

Bison Vehicle Collisions per Year on Highway 3 (1989-2009)

There were 175 collisions from 1989 to 2007

Wood Bison Mortalities Caused by Vehicle Collisions in NWT (1989-2006)

Out of 123 Wood Bison vehicle collisions from 1989 to 2006:

• 186 total Wood Bison mortalities caused by collisions with vehicles
• 5 mortalities per year in 1989 increased to 30 mortalities per year in 2007

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Highway 3 Information

Distribution of Wood Bison Collisions along Highway 3, NWT

Early collisions on Highway 3 were to the south, then extended north as herd increased in number and distribution.

The following graph shows the number of bison collisions in the 19 year period 1989 - 2007 along Highway 3 from km 21-280. This graph illustrates that:

• the greatest risk of being involved in a bison collision is along Highway 3 from km 21 near Fort Providence to km 70, and
• after km 70, the risk is approximately the same all the way to near Yellowknife.

X axis shows kilometres in 10 km segments, beginning at km 21 and going to km 300

There is no area along Highway 3 where drivers do not have to use extra caution, particularly in the period from the beginning of dusk until dawn. This graph also illustrates the extent to which bison collisions have moved closer to Yellowknife. All of the collisions after Frank's Channel occurring since 2001, making this stretch of highway of equal concern to the area around Fort Providence.

In 2009, the first human fatality associated with bison on Highway 3 occurred. The probability of additional human fatalities may increase along Highway 3, as the number of collisions has increased in recent years. This increase is likely due to increased speed and volume of traffic, the movement and expansion of Mackenzie bison due to flooding in the Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary and the straightening, widening and increased maintenance of the highway.

Collisions between bison and vehicles are expected to increase further once the Deh Cho Bridge is completed because traffic on Highway 3 will increase between midnight and 6:00 a.m., hours the ferry currently does not operate. The increase in traffic volume and night-time traffic may cause the number of collisions to increase significantly. Cattle grate aprons have been included in the bridge design to help prevent bison from getting onto the bridge.

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Number of Wood Bison Killed per Collision, NWT

• Collisions generally involve a single animal, although one collision involved 8 individuals
• General trend is increased mortalities over time (much variance)

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Seasonal/Diurnal Patterns of Wood Bison Collisions, NWT

• Highest frequency of collisions (blue line) is from August to October
• Highest frequency of collisions is at sunset (red line) and sunrise (green line)
• An untested hypothesis may be that this is correlated with:
  • decreasing day length - light failing and animals more active during lower light periods, and lowered visibility for drivers
  • no snow / poor contrast between animals and ground

Data suggest the majority of bison vehicle collisions occur during darkness or low light conditions.

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Sex and Age of Wood Bison Killed in Vehicle Collisions, NWT

Bison most frequently hit by vehicles are adult females, then calves, followed by adult males.

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Nahanni Herd Specifics

• Well worn trails often seen beside Highway 7 between Flett crossing and Muskeg River (km 90 and 45)
• Most collisions seem to involve local residents, not commercial traffic or visitors
• Collisions occurred during dusk to dawn, and associated with rises or dips in the road
• Media campaigns carried out in the fall with radio ads, newspaper ads, posters and highway signage

NWT Action Items Needed

• Need to learn more….need $$$
• Implementing a strategy in a way that can be monitored
• Combination of strategies within an adaptive management framework
• Need to collect baseline information
• Bison behavioural modification via:
  • Removal/translocation
  • Hunting
  • Traffic changes - possibly speed reduction - preliminary information from Yellowstone National Park and Jasper National Park indicates wildlife collisions are reduced at lower speeds
• Physical Modifications
  • Habitat

NWT Collision Mitigation Efforts

• Committee initiated in 2003 (Department of Transportation, Department of Resources, Wildlife & Economic Development, Fort Providence Resource Management Board)
• Emphasis on communication, public education and baseline monitoring
• Developed standard reporting and procedures
• “Bison-Vehicle Collision: Report and Procedures Protocol”
• Developed and initiated a baseline vegetation study along right of way
• Initiated baseline collection of Wood Bison observations
• Initiated conservation education (signage/media)
• Limited success due to lack of funding
• Committee has “fizzled” in the last year…
• DOT tried portable signs with flashing lights in critical sites…have to remind locals every year
• Wood Bison Management Strategy for the Northwest Territories: 2010 - 2020 was implemented in 2010

What has been implemented in NWT

• Public awareness and signage
• An increase in wood bison tags available for the Thcho region from three to 45 tags
• An increase in wood bison tags available for the Nahanni population
• Implementation of bison hunting along Highway 3
• Information on reducing wildlife/vehicle collisions in other jurisdictions has been compiled
• Increased ENR efforts to deter bison from communities
• Workshops in communities towards improving and imlpementing the 2010 - 2020 management strategy and management plans

Introduction of Drive Alive! Bison Awareness webpage, which contains the following helpful infomration.

Most bison collisions are preventable, but there are are a number of things you can do to reduce your risk.

• Check road bulletins before departing
• Slow down, especially after dusk and at dawn. Try to schedule your driving on Highways 3, 5, and 7 during daylight hours only
• Avoid distractions - give driving your full attention
• Do not drive if you need rest
• If you see wildlife, flash your hazard lights to warn drivers behind you
• Do not swerve suddenly to avoid animals. This could cause you to lose control of your vehicle or put you in the path of oncoming traffic. If necessary, stop and wait for the animal to clear your path
• Remember that most animals travel in herds; where there is one there are often more. Adjust your speed and headlights accordingly
• Use your high beams whenever possible to increase your visibility further down the highway
• Wear your seatbelt at all times, and ensure children are in a properly installed car seat
• Should you have a collision with a bison, do not approach the injured animal. Move to the shoulder of the road and flag down a vehicle to call your nearest Wildlife Officer. Use your hazard lights to warn other traffic.

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Yukon Territory

The information below was presented at the Bison and Roads Committee meeting in December 2006, at Fort Nelson, BC, by Tom Jung, Senior Biologist, Philip Merchant, and Todd Powell, Yukon Territory, Department of Environment.

Other sources of information were:

• National Recovery Plan for the Wood Bison (Bison bison athabascae) (2001)
• Management Plan for the Aishihik Wood Bison (Bison bison athabascae) Herd in Southwestern Yukon

Aishihik Herd

• Now second largest herd in Canada
• 2006 count is 700 individuals
• Herd has grown at about 20% per year - unchecked by predation
• 1998 - population had doubled and the herd expanded far south of its expected range

Summary of Yukon Wood Bison Vehicle Collisions

• 1989 - 17 animals moved 80-100 kms south to Alaska Highway
• 1990 - Collisions started
• Haines Junction to Whitehorse has high traffic volumes
• 10 acres cleared, seeded & fenced…worked for 3 weeks until bison found end of fence
• 1992/93, 36 bison had to be recaptured and moved to a game farm due to problems along the Alaska Highway.
  • 8 bison were killed in collisions with vehicles
  • 5 were disposed of as "problem" wildlife.
• Bison vehicle collisions set back growth of the herd by about two years due to the removal of these 49 bison.
• 1999 - Small numbers came down to the highway, but no collisions
  • A few animals were harvested
  • Hunters were chosen to remove animals
  • Public perception: Some debate surrounding using hunters to harvest an endangered species
• 2006 - Cow/Calf group moved south to the highway
  • 12 animals were harvested by permit and First Nations hunters
  • Harvest was not well run – slow process
• Desire for constant, timely and effective harassment
• Decided to make new policy at end of 2006

Yukon Management Plan (1998-2003)

• Contains a highway contingency plan
• Bulls will likely come down to the highway, travel back north for a few consecutive years, and then will bring the rest of the herd down with them
• Implication: Be tougher on the few bulls that first appear where they are not wanted.

Collision Mitigation Efforts in the Yukon

Tried and found unsuccessful.....

• Rubber bullets
• Helicopter hazing
• Horse herding
• Ropel (bittering agent) for forage
• High costs and not effective

Other Mitigation Options

• No local support for speed reduction
• Policy and safety issues with using hunting as a tool
• Removal…
• 1992/93 - 6 individuals were captured and moved
• The rest of herd moved off the road for awhile
• Remaining 34 individuals were then moved to game farm (quite close to wild bison range)
• For 6 years they did not return to road…in that time population reached 400
• 1997 - limited hunting was permitted and still continues

The Yukon Territory is very concerned with BC Nordquist Herd as it impacts a critical highway that is used and relied on year round.

Alberta

The information below was presented at the Bison and Roads Committee meeting in December 2006, at Fort Nelson, BC, by Dave Moyles, Area Wildlife Biologist and Jacki Gerwing, Fish & Wildlife Officer, Alberta Ministry of Sustainable Resource Development.

Other sources of information were:

• National Recovery Plan for the Wood Bison (Bison bison athabascae) (2001)
• Status of the Wood Bison (Bison bison athabascae) in Alberta
• Conservation of North American Bison: Status and Recommendations

Hay-Zama Herd

• 2008: 700++ individuals in Hay-Zama herd
• Strong concern for herd dispersal and contact with tuberculosis and brucellosis infected bison from Wood Buffalo National Park

Summary of Alberta Wood Bison Vehicle Collisions

Since Sept 2006

• 9 cases of vehicles hitting Bison
• 1 case of car hit by Bison
• In 1 collision, property damage exceeded $400,000
• Biggest mortality factor for the herd is vehicle collisions

This Wood Bison vehicle collision took place on the Zama Road in Alberta in October 2007. It was early morning, dark and foggy. The gravel road was slick and had no snow cover to highlight the bison.

5 Wood Bison from the Hay-Zama herd were killed.

2 vehicles were involved; 1 vehicle was write-off. The two drivers were unhurt.

Mitigation Efforts

• Shooting largest bull – the theory is that the herd would leave (led by head cow) and not come back for some time
• Rubber bullets – did not work
• In 2007, a radio call-in program was set up in High Level for the Hay Zama herd. Two people who drove the road regularly will conduct an ongoing phone in program where they report on bison locations daily to warn people.
• A managed hunt has been suggested to control numbers
• 2008 - Managed hunt introduced and will begin in the fall

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British Columbia

The information below was presented at the Bison and Roads Committee meeting in December 2006, at Fort Nelson, BC, by Mike Rowe, Biologist and Dean Maclean, Senior Park Ranger, British Columbia Ministry of Environment, with input from Colin Leake, Public Works and Government Services Canada, and Roy Rea, University of Northern British Columbia.

Other sources of information were:

• National Recovery Plan for the Wood Bison (Bison bison athabascae) (2001)
• Conservation of North American Bison: Status and Recommendations
• Management Plan for Wood Bison in British Columbia
• Bison in British Columbia: Ecology, Conservation and Management
• Wildlife in British Columbia at Risk: Wood Bison
• Peace Region Bison Project Annual Report 2009/10
• Wood Bison in North East British Columbia

Nordquist Herd Wood Bison Vehicle Collisions

• January 2007 - Population estimated at 100 individuals; Almost all individuals were on the Alaska Highway or right of way at the time of the 2007 count
• From a summer study of bison on Alaska Highway in 05/06, animals move North in the summer, and south in the winter, along the Alaska Highway
• Increased bison numbers on the Alaska Highway in summer coincides with increased tourist traffic
• Collisions often related to commercial truck traffic
• 2005 - 30 to 32 road kills
• 2006 - 17 road kills
• 2008/2009 - 17 road kills
• 2009-2010 - 10 road kills

Etthithun Lake Herd Wood Bison Vehicle Collisions

• 1996 - 18 animals released to the wild
• January 1997 - 15 Wood Bison observed
• March 1997 - 3 Wood Bison killed in collision with industrial road traffic
• Summer 1997 the herd followed a road allowance 100 km south and joined an escaped feral herd of commercial bison.
• 1999-2001 - In the second reintroduction attempt, 40 bison from Elk Island Provincial Park were released into an 850 ha paddock. The plan was that they would be confined for about 5 years to ensure they were imprinted on the release site so they would not wander south to agriculturally developed areas. The expected release was 2004 or 2005.
• However, in 2003, the fence was breached and the herd became free-ranging.
• May eventually link up with the Hay-Zama herd from Alberta

Pink Mountain Herd (Plains Bison)

In the early 1970's, 50 imported Plains Bison escaped into the wild, and formed the Pink Mountain herd.

• Herd has increased both its range and numbers
• Latest population estimate is 1000++ animals
• Generally confined to the grass/sedge meadows in the upper Sikanni and Halfway River valleys
• Potential exists for competition between the free roaming Plains Bison Pink Mountain herd and Woods Bison if the ranges should overlap.
• The presence of free roaming or feral commercial Plains Bison jeopardizes the genetic integrity of the herd at Etthithun Lake and can potentially comprise Wood Bison recovery efforts in Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and the Yukon.
• There is a limited entry hunt authorized for the Pink Mountain herd

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