Increasing Wood Bison Population Requires Special Hunt Hunt Will Protect Bison from Disease and Reduce Vehicle Collisions

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May 15, 2008 Increasing wood bison population requires special hunt Hunt will protect bison from disease and reduce vehicle collisions

Edmonton... Following rapid increases in local bison numbers, a special management hunt for bison is planned for 2008-09. Licences for aboriginal Albertans will support a traditional hunt. Non-aboriginal hunters will be able to apply for a draw for a portion of the available licences. The hunt will be in northwestern Alberta to manage the province’s only free-range, disease-free wood bison population. “The Hay-Zama bison hunt is part of Alberta’s interim strategy to manage this wood bison population,” said Ted Morton, Minister of Sustainable Resource Development. “We are working to maintain a healthy and secure bison population.” The high population of bison near the community and road networks has led to an increased occurrence of vehicle collisions and concerns of public safety as bison have wandered into public areas such as playgrounds. A reduced bison population can ensure Albertans in the area feel safe driving in their community. The Hay-Zama Wildlife Management Area established a range of 40,000 square kilometres as a secure area and a population goal of 400 bison. The current population of 700 is expanding and now at risk of diseases, such as tuberculosis and brucellosis, from bison populations expanding westward from Wood Buffalo National Park. Alberta is part of the National Wood Bison Strategy in Canada. Alberta’s wood bison population began with 29 animals transported to the Hay-Zama area in 1984 from Elk Island National Park. Working closely with the Dene Tha’, along with Northwest Territories, Yukon and British Columbia, Alberta’s wildlife managers are supporting a network of free-ranging, disease-free wood bison herds as part of the species’ recovery. The current population management strategy is to provide two-thirds of licences to aboriginal Albertans. A booklet, 2008 Alberta Hunting Draws, will be available in late May for resident hunters interested in applying for the bison special hunting licence, as well as other hunting opportunities in Alberta. Successful draw applicants will receive further information regarding details and logistics for the Hay-Zama hunt. Wood bison are a threatened species under Environment Canada’s Species at Risk Act and endangered under Alberta’s Wildlife Act. Hunts of bison in the Yukon and Northwest Territories are an accepted part of ongoing wildlife management of this species. A long-term plan to re-establish wood bison across northern Alberta is being developed. -30- Attachments: Questions and Answers Media inquiries may be directed to: Dave Ealey Dave Ealey Communications Branch Alberta Sustainable Resource Development 780-427-8636 [email protected]

To call toll free within Alberta dial 310-0000. May 15, 2008

Alberta plans Hay-Zama bison management hunt Edmonton... As part of Alberta’s management of wood bison in the northwest part of the province, a special hunt is scheduled to take place starting in September of this year by First Nations hunters and in January 2009 by recreational, Alberta resident hunters. This hunt is an integral part of management for public safety at a local level and management for a continuing presence of free-ranging and disease-free bison. The National Wood Bison Management Plan and recommendations of the national Wood Bison Recovery Team are supportive of the approach being taken.

What is Alberta’s goal for wood bison? Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, the Canadian Wildlife Service and the Dene Tha’ First Nation are partners in the Hay-Zama wood bison reintroduction program. The intent of the program, started in 1983, was to re-establish a healthy, free-range population of wood bison in northwest Alberta that was capable of sustaining an annual harvest. Establishing this population was a significant element in the National Wood Bison Management Plan. The strategy proposed at least one self-sustaining wood bison herd in Alberta, B.C., Yukon and Northwest Territories and Wood Buffalo National Park. Since 1984, the Hay-Zama bison herd has grown to 700 animals. A population goal of 400 animals for the Wildlife Management Area has been established and is consistent with the national Wood Bison Recovery Team’s recommendations. Why has Sustainable Resource Development established a bison management hunt for the Hay-Zama herd? The Fish and Wildlife Division of SRD is implementing a management hunt as an interim strategy to manage the Hay-Zama wood bison herd. The Hay-Zama bison herd has grown in numbers and distribution to an estimated 700 animals in the spring of 2008. The distribution of bison has expanded and: they are at risk of expanding eastward and contacting diseased bison that are expanding westward from Wood Buffalo National Park (WBNP) (bison populations in and around WBNP are infected with tuberculosis and brucellosis, non-native cattle diseases), there have been bison in the local communities of Zama and Chateh resulting in public safety concerns, and bison are a vehicle hazard on area roads and highways; there have been several dozen accidents over the past four years resulting in property damage and the potential for serious injuries. Why is Alberta opening a management hunt if wood bison are a protected species? Wood Bison are classified as “threatened” by Environment Canada and Endangered by the province of Alberta. However, the National Wood Bison Recovery Team has recommended the Hay-Zama herd be managed to a population size of approximately 400 animals until the disease concern in Wood Buffalo National Park can be dealt with. A management hunt is Alberta’s only viable solution. Could the bison be moved instead of hunting them? Given the number of bison, distribution, and unpredictability of the animals, capture would be difficult and very expensive to effectively reduce the population. Capture would not only put the bison at risk of injury, but also put at risk the staff who are involved in the capture and release. Part of the work with the Dene Tha’ regarding the establishment of this herd was to provide an opportunity to hunt bison if populations reached levels above the recommended population number for management. Although the Hay-Zama population of bison is believed to be “disease free,” there needs to be more rigorous testing to adequately determine this status with certainty. At this time there are no areas or jurisdictions, that we are aware of, that want to take bison. This is partly because the Hay-Zama animals are not confirmed “disease free,” and also because the ongoing presence of the disease reservoir in Wood Buffalo National Park limits where such animals could actually be safely moved to. Is this management hunt unique in Alberta? Canada? This is a unique management hunt for Alberta. Bison hunting has been implemented in the Yukon and Northwest Territories for similar reasons - to control populations and distribution in order to limit the spread of disease. Are the local First Nations supportive? The Dene Tha’ First Nation was an original partner in the bison reintroduction program. They remain committed to the re-establishment of bison to their former range and have expressed support for the bison hunting strategy. Was the public consulted on the interim strategy to reduce the Hay-Zama bison herd? Yes, there was public consultation for this interim strategy. Each fall in northwest Alberta, local Fish and Wildlife Division Districts host public meetings to discuss fisheries and wildlife management. Hay-Zama bison management has been discussed over the past several years at these local meetings in Rainbow Lake, High Level and Ft. Vermilion. There has been consistent public support for managing the Hay-Zama bison population by hunting to reduce conflicts and motor vehicle collisions. Representatives from the Mackenzie County have also expressed support for reducing bison numbers for the same public safety reasons.

What is the status of wood bison outside of the Hay-Zama Wildlife Management Area? Free-ranging bison outside of Wood Buffalo National Park and east of Hwy. 35 have no status under the Wildlife Act and are not protected. This constitutes a passive control zone that allows potentially diseased bison to be removed before they can come into contact with domestic livestock or animals from the Hay-Zama herd. What is the disease status of the Hay-Zama bison? The Hay-Zama bison herd is believed to be “disease free”. Sampling intensity needs to be more rigorous to confirm this status. Our strategy to improve the disease data is to include disease sampling with hunter harvests. Hunters are being requested to obtain biological samples from the bison they kill so wildlife biologists can test for tuberculosis and brucellosis. Disease information, sample procedures and sample kits are being provided to each hunter. Hunters will be notified of the test results. Where is the Hay-Zama management hunt going to take place? The hunting season for Wood Bison will occur in an area that includes essentially all of Alberta west of highway 35, extending from the Northwest Territories boundary south to the 27th Base Line, which is about 50 kilometres south of High Level (Wildlife Management Units [WMUs] 536 and 539). The huntable area excludes a core protected area east of Habay, consisting of six townships [Townships 112 to 114, Ranges 2 and 3, west of the 6th Meridian]. How many bison will be killed? There will be licences available for recreational and aboriginal hunters. The strategy is to reduce bison numbers from over 700 to 400 animals over a period of years. As this is the first season, it is difficult to know what the total harvest will be; however, the hunt will be closely monitored to determine the harvest and subsequent hunting opportunities in future years. The hunt has been designed to support the reduction target and not to exceed it. -30- Media inquiries may be directed to: Media inquiries may be directed to: Dave Ealey Communications Branch Alberta Sustainable Resource Development 780-427-8636 [email protected]