National Park to Relocate Bison for Conservation
National park officials are taking action to manage the bison population at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. They plan to round up and relocate the bison to several Native American tribes, starting this Saturday.
The bison capture operation will happen in the park’s South Unit near Medora, but it won’t be open to the public for safety. The goal is to reduce the bison population from around 700 to 400 by moving bison of different ages.
Troy Heinert, Executive Director of the InterTribal Buffalo Council, explained that the relocated bison will be put under tribal management. This effort will help boost genetic diversity and bolster existing tribal herds. The Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation, along with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, are among the recipients of these bison. Additional tribes might receive some based on demographic factors.
To carry out this operation, a helicopter will guide the bison into a designated holding area. A thorough survey of the landscape and a population count will be conducted before the bison are relocated.
The park takes turns capturing bison every year between its North Unit and South Unit. This strategy helps maintain the herd’s size, as the park has limited space and resources for bison, and ensures the animals’ overall health. Deputy Superintendent Maureen McGee-Ballinger emphasized the importance of this effort to maintain a balanced bison population in the park.