generalspeaking

Aboriginal Stewards of the Land

"We had about 500 bison back in 2005 and the population has been going down ever since, pretty much crashing."
"It's not usual for a species like bison, which is a big, large herbivore, to have a decrease in population size that fast."
"My results show ... without a shadow of a doubt, it's the hunting by First Nations that's the real problem here. It's just not sustainable."
"Bison come out of the park and they go and feed in agricultural fields. They are attracted by the crops."
"In some of these fields, they are causing a lot of damage. the landowners get annoyed, understandably. They would call the First Nations guys and say, 'There's bison on my land. Can you come and get them out of here?"
Ricardo Simon, study co-author

"The Sturgeon River bison herd is unique in the sense it still has ... this traditional historic relationship with Indigenous people."
"That's something that doesn't exist in other [plains] bison populations."
Gord Vaadeland, executive director, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society

"I know that it is Indigenous, First Nation harvesters that are contributing to the dangerous level that the herd is at."
"A big part of that is education. Some people know that the herd has been there for a number of decades and some, I know, believe the herd is healthy. They are not aware of the danger that they are in."
Anthony Blair Dreaver Johnston, Mistawasis Nehiyawak, Treaty 6 Saskatchewan Nation

It is obviously no mystery to Mr. Johnston whose national tribe is a signatory of the Buffalo Treaty, that the bison in Saskatchewan's Prince Albert National Park have been dwindling in numbers; he has heard that they have been over-hunted by area Aboriginals. His people, he has now declared, will be prepared to "share the sad news", and do their part in encouraging other First Nations to sign the Buffalo Treaty.

According to Simon, a doctoral candidate at Laval University in Quebec, three possible causes have been identified by himself and the university's Daniel Fortin, his supervisor; predation by wolves, disease, and hunting, to account for the dramatic reduction in bison herd numbers. The sheer magnitude of the reduction spells the practical end of these protected bison herds.

Their protected status as a heritage animal in the geography, however, is obviously at risk with the attitude among First Nations that their heritage hunting traditions must be respected. In keeping with their demands of federal and provincial governments, First Nations have the heritage right to fish and to hunt where none others may, without restriction. That 'right' has its consequences.



There are well-founded fears on the basis of what is glaringly evident that the herd could become extinct from over-hunting, despite their protected status. Bison haven't been persuaded that they are protected within the geographical confines of a park; as browsers they are attracted to the allure of vegetation to be found in adjacent farmers' fields. As animals anywhere in the world find their habitat compressed in size to regulated corridors they are under threat by expanding human habitation.

Mr. Simon and his supervisor conducted research into the free-roaming plains bison in the national park. The conclusion of their study has been published in the journal Biological Conservation, stressing that 120 animals have been left in a short period of time, out of a herd of 500 bison; obviously natural increase taken into account, such a herd should be expanding, not excessively contracting.

The constitutional right to hunt bison for Indigenous Canadians, along with their much-vaunted veneration of animals and traditional land reflecting their spiritual connection with both has not resulted in a healthily expanding herd; that much is settled. And while a few First Nations signed on to a treaty to return bison on reserve land and other lands co-managed in the United States and Canada, it seems evident that the agreement has its doubters.

Mr. Johnston has given his assurance that First Nations are prepared to work alongside landowners, municipalities, wildlife groups and other Indigenous groups in protection of the herd. Mr. Simon's own search for answers has resulted in the discovery that the crux of the problem is the number of bison being taken yearly by a handful of individuals in a few agricultural fields that border the western edges of the park.

"It shows a certain outcome under certain conditions. “A lot of those conditions are things we are already working on."
"We carry out prescribed burns within the area to try to improve habitat throughout the park."
"We try to meet with Indigenous communities so they understand what’s happening with the population."
Norman Stolle, resource conservation manager, Prince Albert National Park

Labels: Bison, Canada, Conservation, First Nations, Heritage

posted by Pieface @ Wednesday, July 03, 2019