Wood Bison

Bison bison athabascae

General Status Rank: 
At Risk
ELCODE: 
AMALE01011
Common Name: 
Wood Bison
Scientific Name: 
Bison bison athabascae
Synonyms: 
Bos bison athabascae
Naming References: 
R169
B202
R283
Google image search
Taxonomy
Group: 
Mammal (Terrestrial Mammal)
Kingdom: 
Animalia
Phylum: 
Chordata
Class: 
Mammalia
Order: 
Artiodactyla
Family: 
Bovidae
References: 
R169
General Biology

Female Age at Maturity

2 to 4 years
References: 
R022

Longevity

Max 40 years.
References: 
R022

Economic/Human Considerations

Managed hunting restricted.
References: 
R022
Habitat
Open forests and sedge and grass meadows in the north.
References: 
R022
R229
R2017006
Distribution

Ecozones

Taiga Plains, Taiga Shield, Boreal Cordillera, Boreal Plains
References: 
R022

Distribution

Index of area of occupancy is 46,976 km2, extent of occurrence is 147,540 km2. Some habitat is unusable due to lethal control area.
Score: 
EF
References: 
H130
P023
R2017006

Number of Occurrences

1 diseased herd (shared with Alberta in Wood Buffalo National Park), 2 disease-free herds.
Score: 
A = 1
References: 
H121
R2017006

Historical Distribution

17% of the NWT
References: 
W018

Area of Occupancy

Control area kept depopulated. Mackenzie trend unknown since 2013. Slave River Lowlands lower in 2014 than 2009. Nahanni appears to be stable.
Score: 
-
References: 
R022
H206
R175
R229
R248
R250
R2017006
Population

Population Size

As of 2016: total of 2,700. Mackenzie population: (2016) 851, up from (2013) 714 (SE = 156), near a low after anthrax outbreak (2012). Nahanni herd (shared with BC): (2017) 962, up from (2011) 408. Slave River Lowlands: (2016) 662, not statistically different from (2014) 1,083 (SE 414) as part of the Greater Wood Buffalo National Park metapopulation. Herds shared with Alberta: Wood Buffalo National Park: (2016) 2,882 down from (2009) 4,958 (90% CI: 4,189-5,727): summary of pop numbers (R229, R174, R247; Recovery Strategy 2019).
Score: 
E
References: 
W035
H206
R170
R171
R229
R247
R248
R250
R2017006
Trends

Trends

Slowly recovering from near extinction (R022). Overall population decline of 7% in 3 generations 1995-2019 (Criterion A calculator using numbers in Recovery Strategy 2018): declined by 59% in Mackenzie Sanctuary due to anthrax outbreak in 2012 (R229)(R248) but variable-stable in Slave River Lowlands; increasing by 200% in Nahanni (2004-2017: Recovery Strategy 2019).
Score: 
G
References: 
R022
H206
R175
R229
R248
R250
R2017006
Threats

Threats

Disease, predation (R022), highway collision, drownings in high water seasons (H116). Threat of drowning not only in high water seasons but specifically for the Nahanni herd with increased barge activity or river seismic related with oil and gas. River crossings are more frequent than believed and an important part of this herd's ecology (H164_05). Increasing road collisions (R175); see threat calculator in R229.
Score: 
B
References: 
H116
R022
H164_05
H206
R175
R229
R2017006

Intrinsic Vulnerability

Forestry, oil and gas exploration, flooding.
Score: 
-
References: 
H116
R022
H164_05
H206
R175
R229
R2017006
General Status Rank
Rank: 
At Risk
Status Rank Description: 
High threats and small number of occurrences, population declines in the largest herd due to anthrax (2012).
S Rank: 
S2
Decision Process Description: 
Reviewed in 2004 with comments from N. Larter - No change in status; scientific name change. Reviewed in 2010, no change. Reviewed in 2013 after assessment by COSEWIC and in 2016 after assessment by SARC - no change. Reviewed in 2020 - no change.
Last Updated: 
February 14, 2024
Status Designations

NWT - Assessment by Species at Risk Committee

NWT SARC Assessment: 
Threatened
2016 (http://www.nwtspeciesatrisk.ca/species/wood-bison)
References: 
R2017006

NWT - Species at Risk Legal Status

NWT Status Rank: 
Threatened
2017 (http://www.nwtspeciesatrisk.ca/species/wood-bison)

Canada – Assessment by Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada

COSEWIC Status: 
Special Concern
Designated Endangered in April 1978. Status re-examined and designated Threatened in April 1988 and May 2000. Status re-examined and designated Special Concern in November 2013 (COSEWIC. 2013. COSEWIC assessment and status report on the Plains Bison Bison bison bison and the Wood Bison Bison bison athabascae in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. xv + 109 pp.)
References: 
R022
R229

Canada – Species at Risk Legal Status

SARA Status: 
Threatened
2003
References: 
W103

References

Age Of Maturity

  • Ruckstuhl KE (1999) Updated status report on wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) DRAFT Suzanne's Files - R022 Return

Area of Occupancy

  • Ruckstuhl KE (1999) Updated status report on wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) DRAFT Suzanne's Files - R022 Return
  • Terry Armstrong (2008) Bison info for you; e-mail to Rob Gau (1/05/2008). pers. Comm. printed in binder - H206 Return
  • ENR (2009) Draft Wood Bison Management Strategy for the Northwest Territories 2009-2019. GNWT - R175 Return
  • COSEWIC (2013) COSEWIC status report on American Bison (Bison bison) in Canada. copy in ENR - R229 Return
  • Armstrong, T. and K. Cox. (2013) Unpubl. Report. Environment & Natural Resources, NWT. - R248 Return
  • Armstrong, T. (2014) Unpubl. Report. ENR, GNWT. Fort Smith, NT. 3pp. e-copy - R250 Return
  • SARC (2016) Species Status Report for Wood Bison (Bison bison athabascae) in the Northwest Territories. Species at Risk Committee, Yellowknife, NT.. http://www.nwtspeciesatrisk.ca/sites/default/files/wood_bison_status_report_final_w_assessment_-_may1716_-_w_nyarling_correction.pdf - R2017006 Return
COSEWIC Status
  • Ruckstuhl KE (1999) Updated status report on wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) DRAFT Suzanne's Files - R022 Return
  • COSEWIC (2013) COSEWIC status report on American Bison (Bison bison) in Canada. copy in ENR - R229 Return

Economic Status

  • Ruckstuhl KE (1999) Updated status report on wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) DRAFT Suzanne's Files - R022 Return

Ecozones

  • Ruckstuhl KE (1999) Updated status report on wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) DRAFT Suzanne's Files - R022 Return

Federal Species at Risk Status

  • Government of Canada (2016) Species at Risk Public Registry. http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/default_e.cfm - W103 Return

Habitat

  • Ruckstuhl KE (1999) Updated status report on wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) DRAFT Suzanne's Files - R022 Return
  • COSEWIC (2013) COSEWIC status report on American Bison (Bison bison) in Canada. copy in ENR - R229 Return
  • SARC (2016) Species Status Report for Wood Bison (Bison bison athabascae) in the Northwest Territories. Species at Risk Committee, Yellowknife, NT.. http://www.nwtspeciesatrisk.ca/sites/default/files/wood_bison_status_report_final_w_assessment_-_may1716_-_w_nyarling_correction.pdf - R2017006 Return

Historical Distribution

  • NatureServe: An online encyclopedia of life [web application]. (2001) Version 1.4 . Arlington, Virginia, USA: Association for Biodiversity Information.. Available: http://www.natureserve.org/. (Accessed: June 29, 2001 - W018 Return

Intrinsic Vulnerability

  • Mammals Committee: Ron Graf, Ray Case, Robert Mulders, Suzanne Carrière, Alisdair Veitch, Richard Popko, John Nagy, Jen Lange (1999) Personal Communication. RWED, GNWT - H116 Return
  • Ruckstuhl KE (1999) Updated status report on wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) DRAFT Suzanne's Files - R022 Return
  • Larter Nic (2004) Notes on re-assessment of mammals. e-mail to S Carriere dated 12/11/04 copy in reference binder - H164_05 Return
  • Terry Armstrong (2008) Bison info for you; e-mail to Rob Gau (1/05/2008). pers. Comm. printed in binder - H206 Return
  • ENR (2009) Draft Wood Bison Management Strategy for the Northwest Territories 2009-2019. GNWT - R175 Return
  • COSEWIC (2013) COSEWIC status report on American Bison (Bison bison) in Canada. copy in ENR - R229 Return
  • SARC (2016) Species Status Report for Wood Bison (Bison bison athabascae) in the Northwest Territories. Species at Risk Committee, Yellowknife, NT.. http://www.nwtspeciesatrisk.ca/sites/default/files/wood_bison_status_report_final_w_assessment_-_may1716_-_w_nyarling_correction.pdf - R2017006 Return

Longevity

  • Ruckstuhl KE (1999) Updated status report on wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) DRAFT Suzanne's Files - R022 Return

Naming

  • Wilson, Don E. and Reeder, DeeAnn M. (2005) Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. Johns Hopkins University Press 3rd ed 2142 pages - R169 Return
  • Stewart, K.W. and Oswood,M.W. (2006) The Stoneflies (Plecoptera) of Alaska and western Canada. The Caddis Press 325 pp. ENR Library - B202 Return
  • Bradley, Robert, D., Loren K. Ammerman, Robert J. Baker, Lisa C. Bradley, Joseph A. Cook, Robert C. Dowler, Clyde Jones, David J. Schmidly, Frederick B. Stangl, Jr., Ronald A. Van Den Bussche, and Bernd Würsig (2014) Natural Science Research Laboratory, Occasional Papers 327 28 pp. http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/publications/opapers/ops/OP327.pdf - R283 Return

NWT Known Subspecies

Ruckstuhl KE (1999) Updated status report on wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) DRAFT Suzanne's Files - R022 Return

Number of Occurrences

  • Elkin, B (1999) Personal Communication. Disease / Contaminant Specialist, Wildlife and Fisheries, RWED, HQ - H121 Return
  • SARC (2016) Species Status Report for Wood Bison (Bison bison athabascae) in the Northwest Territories. Species at Risk Committee, Yellowknife, NT.. http://www.nwtspeciesatrisk.ca/sites/default/files/wood_bison_status_report_final_w_assessment_-_may1716_-_w_nyarling_correction.pdf - R2017006 Return

NWT SARC Assessment

  • SARC (2016) Species Status Report for Wood Bison (Bison bison athabascae) in the Northwest Territories. Species at Risk Committee, Yellowknife, NT.. http://www.nwtspeciesatrisk.ca/sites/default/files/wood_bison_status_report_final_w_assessment_-_may1716_-_w_nyarling_correction.pdf - R2017006 Return

Population Size

ENR - Wildlife Division (2007) Wood Bison of the NWT. Accessed April 2007 http://www.nwtwildlife.com/NWTwildlife/bison/bison.htm - W035 Return
,
Terry Armstrong (2008) Bison info for you; e-mail to Rob Gau (1/05/2008). pers. Comm. printed in binder - H206 Return
,
Larter N.C. and D.G. Allaire. (2007) History and Current Status of the Nahanni Wood Bison Population.. File Report 136 44 pp PDF on the internet - R170 Return
,
Larter N.C., D.G. Allaire and T.S. Jung. (2007) Population Survey of the Nahanni Wood Bison Population March 2004.. ENR, GWNT Manuscript report 176 30 pp. - R171 Return
,
COSEWIC (2013) COSEWIC status report on American Bison (Bison bison) in Canada. copy in ENR - R229 Return
,
Armstrong, T. (2014) Unpubl. Report. ENR, GNWT. Fort Smith, NT. 3pp. e-copy - R247 Return
,
Armstrong, T. and K. Cox. (2013) Unpubl. Report. Environment & Natural Resources, NWT. - R248 Return
,
Armstrong, T. (2014) Unpubl. Report. ENR, GNWT. Fort Smith, NT. 3pp. e-copy - R250 Return
,
SARC (2016) Species Status Report for Wood Bison (Bison bison athabascae) in the Northwest Territories. Species at Risk Committee, Yellowknife, NT.. http://www.nwtspeciesatrisk.ca/sites/default/files/wood_bison_status_report_final_w_assessment_-_may1716_-_w_nyarling_correction.pdf - R2017006 Return

Range Extent

  • Brett Elkin (2000) Pers. communication. Wildlife Vetenarian, RWED, HQ Yellowknife - H130 Return
  • NWT Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development (1995) NWT wildlife sketches: Bison of the Northwest Territories. NWT Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development Personal Files - P023 Return
  • SARC (2016) Species Status Report for Wood Bison (Bison bison athabascae) in the Northwest Territories. Species at Risk Committee, Yellowknife, NT.. http://www.nwtspeciesatrisk.ca/sites/default/files/wood_bison_status_report_final_w_assessment_-_may1716_-_w_nyarling_correction.pdf - R2017006 Return

Short Term Trends

  • Ruckstuhl KE (1999) Updated status report on wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) DRAFT Suzanne's Files - R022 Return
  • Terry Armstrong (2008) Bison info for you; e-mail to Rob Gau (1/05/2008). pers. Comm. printed in binder - H206 Return
  • ENR (2009) Draft Wood Bison Management Strategy for the Northwest Territories 2009-2019. GNWT - R175 Return
  • COSEWIC (2013) COSEWIC status report on American Bison (Bison bison) in Canada. copy in ENR - R229 Return
  • Armstrong, T. and K. Cox. (2013) Unpubl. Report. Environment & Natural Resources, NWT. - R248 Return
  • Armstrong, T. (2014) Unpubl. Report. ENR, GNWT. Fort Smith, NT. 3pp. e-copy - R250 Return
  • SARC (2016) Species Status Report for Wood Bison (Bison bison athabascae) in the Northwest Territories. Species at Risk Committee, Yellowknife, NT.. http://www.nwtspeciesatrisk.ca/sites/default/files/wood_bison_status_report_final_w_assessment_-_may1716_-_w_nyarling_correction.pdf - R2017006 Return

Taxonomy

  • Wilson, Don E. and Reeder, DeeAnn M. (2005) Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. Johns Hopkins University Press 3rd ed 2142 pages - R169 Return

Threats

  • Mammals Committee: Ron Graf, Ray Case, Robert Mulders, Suzanne Carrière, Alisdair Veitch, Richard Popko, John Nagy, Jen Lange (1999) Personal Communication. RWED, GNWT - H116 Return
  • Ruckstuhl KE (1999) Updated status report on wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) DRAFT Suzanne's Files - R022 Return
  • Larter Nic (2004) Notes on re-assessment of mammals. e-mail to S Carriere dated 12/11/04 copy in reference binder - H164_05 Return
  • Terry Armstrong (2008) Bison info for you; e-mail to Rob Gau (1/05/2008). pers. Comm. printed in binder - H206 Return
  • ENR (2009) Draft Wood Bison Management Strategy for the Northwest Territories 2009-2019. GNWT - R175 Return
  • COSEWIC (2013) COSEWIC status report on American Bison (Bison bison) in Canada. copy in ENR - R229 Return
  • SARC (2016) Species Status Report for Wood Bison (Bison bison athabascae) in the Northwest Territories. Species at Risk Committee, Yellowknife, NT.. http://www.nwtspeciesatrisk.ca/sites/default/files/wood_bison_status_report_final_w_assessment_-_may1716_-_w_nyarling_correction.pdf - R2017006 Return