A herd of Alberta-born bison that was nearly extinct in the late 1800s is marking an important milestone that’s 100 years in the making.
The herd began the journey from Alberta back to the Blackfeet Nation in Montana, where their ancestors originated from, on Monday.
The transfer will help re-populate bison in Blackfeet territory south of the border and was made possible thanks to a combined effort from Elk Island National Park, the Blackfeet Nation and the Wildlife Conservation Society.
The ancestors of the bison were purchased from the U.S. more than a century ago and sent to Elk Island National Park, located 35 kilometres east of Edmonton.
"In the beginning, these animals were our economy," Ervin Carlson, the buffalo project manager with the Blackfeet tribe, told CTV Edmonton during a ceremony on Sunday. "They were our food, our clothing, our shelter. They were our tools, that's what we lived on."
Carlson said the fact that the bison is returning back to the home of their ancestors is almost like "coming full circle."
The animals were nearly wiped out in the late 1800s.
Thanks to conservation programs, such as the one at Elk Island National Park, their numbers are now growing.
"That an animal that was virtually extinct is being brought back and it's all because of this place…it's pretty special," said Stephen Flemming, Elk Island National Park superintendent.
The bison were escorted by members of the Blackfeet Nation and arrived in Montana Monday evening, with groups singing and drumming to welcome the herd.
“Ceremonies have been on for several days,” said Keith Aune, bison program director of the Wildlife Conservation Society.
There are several other native groups working to conserve bison populations across the state, but the Blackfeet tribe’s herd are “very special bison,” Aune said.
“Now we are bringing them to nearly that exact spot where those calves were captured 140 years ago,” he said. “The tribes are just ecstatic.”
With a report from CTV Edmonton
