Birth of bison calves at Métis park welcomed as a connection to culture
CBC
Seven fuzzy new additions have joined the bison herd at Métis Crossing wildlife park this summer.
The bison calves — called "little reds" because of their bright colour — were recently born to the herd at the park in Smoky Lake, Alta., about 115 kilometres north of Edmonton.
While staff and visitors celebrated the births, the calves are also important for the broader Métis community, according to Métis Crossing CEO Juanita Marois.
"I think the Métis Nation of Alberta at large is even more excited because we've been talking about having bison for decades," Marois said.
"Now to have our own herd as well as having our own babies … is very exciting for all of us."
It was all the more exciting since prior to 2021, no bison had been born in or lived in the area for 160 years, according to a news release.
The little reds are now part of the 20-member bison herd that was transferred from Alberta's Elk Island National Park to Métis Crossing in 2022 as part of a conservation effort.
It took roughly two years to sort out the details of the transfer, said Dale Kirkland, park superintendent at Elk Island.
"It's a wonderful sight to see in spring and summer, just the little reds on the landscape here," he said.
With the births of the calves, Kirkland said he's grateful to be able to be part of restoring bison to their traditional homelands at Métis Crossing and other areas.
He said in the past six years, Elk Island National Park has transferred over 300 bison to their traditional homelands in 13 Indigenous communities.
Over the past century, the park has transferred over 3,000 bison to re-establish wild herds that were decimated by overhunting and disease in the late 1800s.
Working with Indigenous communities is a key part of conservation, Kirkland added.
Marois said the birth of the calves on traditional lands serves as a reminder of the important relationship between bison and the Métis.
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