There’s safety in numbers for herd animals, but not if some members of the herd make poor decisions. That was one of the findings of research by U of G integrative biology professor John Fryxell and U of G graduate Daniel Fortin, now a biology professor at Université Laval.
They studied the movement patterns of bison in Prince Albert National Park in Saskatchewan and found that those animals that ventured outside the park into neighbouring farmland were hunted, which contributed to the herd’s population decline over a nine-year period from 2005 to 2013.
There’s safety in numbers for herd animals, but not if some members of the herd make poor decisions. That was one of the findings of research by U of G integrative biology professor John Fryxell and U of G graduate Daniel Fortin, now a biology professor at Université Laval.
They studied the movement patterns of bison in Prince Albert National Park in Saskatchewan and found that those animals that ventured outside the park into neighbouring farmland were hunted, which contributed to the herd’s population decline over a nine-year period from 2005 to 2013.
When bison kept in paddocks in the park were allowed to roam free, that freedom came with unexpected consequences, says Fryxell. Their population size initially grew as they discovered new grasslands, but when they ventured into farmland adjacent to the park, they were often shot. Three times more bison were killed by hunters on agricultural land than died of natural causes inside the park.
“The bison developed a preference for plants in adjacent areas,” he says, adding that the same crops that appeal to humans also attract bison. “The decline was unexpected. The pattern of discovery of new pastures coincides with bison population decline.”
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Photo via University of Guelph.
