Here is Where to See Bison Roam in Canada

Elk Island National Park in Alberta is a popular destination for bison lovers. The park, 40 kilometers east of Edmonton, is home to amazing sightings, such as the 100 bison and 27 calves that naturalist Brian Keating recently saw along the Bison Loop Road.

More than a century ago, Elk Island National Park, a bison sanctuary, was essential to the species’ survival. Between 1907 and 1912, the Canadian government moved more than 700 bison after buying one of the remaining herds from a rancher in Montana. Despite being one of Canada’s smallest parks, its fully fenced environment has been essential for bison conservation and survival.

Today, Elk Island National Park manages two herds: plains bison, found to the north of Highway 16, and woods bison, which live to the south. The plains bison are known for their shaggy capes and bushy beards, as well as their hair-covered legs that give the appearance of wearing chaps. In contrast, the woods bison are larger, adapted to colder climates, and have a darker appearance with shorter beards. 

These amazing creatures are best seen in the morning or on cool days, and sightings are especially more likely in the winter.

It is recommended that visitors respect the bison by keeping a safe distance of at least 100 meters. If agitated, these wild creatures have been known to harm automobiles. It is critical to keep in mind that bison have the “right of way,” and as guests, we must respect their freedom to move around unhindered. 

It is a unique and rewarding experience to see these animals in their natural environment, whether you are strolling or driving around the Bison Loop Road.

Bison can be observed in other parts of Canada besides Elk Island. For instance, the attempt at bison conservation has proven effective in Manitoba’s Riding Mountain National Park.  The park brought bison back into the area during the early 1990s to try to rehabilitate the grassland ecosystem. The 500-hectare Lake Audry Bison habitat is intelligent in that it provides such an environment for the bison to graze. 

Visitors can drive into the cage and get up close and personal with a herd of roughly 40 plains bison. Due to the morning and late evening activities, the park suggests that visitors go at these times of the day. 

Other Canada national parks, for example, Prince Albert National Park in the province of Saskatchewan, Grasslands National Park also in Saskatchewan, Wood Buffalo National Park at the border between Alberta and Northwest Territories and Banff National Park in Alberta, also offer bison.

The probability is that June to September is the best time to behold them in Western Canada, while October to November is the best time in East Canada. Therefore, standing face-to-face with the bison in the wild makes it easy to understand the value of the many conservation projects being implemented in Canada. 

Due to such endeavors as those illustrated in Elk Island and Riding Mountain National Park, these species that almost disappeared have the opportunity to roam the country and help maintain the delicate ecosystems that they inhabit.