First baby bison born on Wanuskewin land since 1800s
The female calf was born on Earth Day.
The herd of bison reintroduced to Saskatchewan's Wanuskewin lands in late 2019 celebrated its first newborn this month -- on Earth Day, no less.
In a press release, Wanuskewin's CEO Darlene Brander said the birth of the female bison serves as a reminder that nature continues to move forward, even in uncertain times due to the pandemic.
"This marks the first bison born on their ancestral land at Wanuskewin since before the signing of Treaty Six in 1876 and the subsequent extirpation of the species," the release said, adding that more bison are expected this spring.
Officials say the bison is the first to be born on the ancestral land since the 1800s.
Wanuskewin CEO Darlene Brander told the Saskatoon StarPhoenix the birth is “a historic moment in Wanuskewin’s timeline.”
A photo of the calf. Courtesy: Wanuskewin Heritage Centre.
She said elders have been trying to reintroduce bison to the land for four decades.
“We have been waiting for this day at Wanuskewin for a very long time,” she told the news outlet.
“When you take in the COVID-19 pandemic and all the implications of it and how it impacted our lives, to hear about this ray of hope through the baby bison being born at the park, it was incredibly significant.”
Wanuskewin is closed due to COVID-19, so it could be some time before visitors have a chance to see the babies.
