11 Yellowstone Bison Come to Canada
authored by: Louise BigEagle, CBC Journalist
Last month Fort Peck Indian Reservation in Montana, an original signatory of the Buffalo Treaty, a growing partnership of First Nations to return bison to Plains communities, gave Mosquito-Grizzly Bear’s Head-Lean Man First Nation (MGBHLM) in Saskatchewan 11 plains bison from the Yellowstone National Park herd.
It was the first time bison from the Yellowstone herd were going to Canada.
The night before the transfer, Fort Peck’s Pte Group, a volunteer group dedicated to upholding the Buffalo Treaty, held a welcoming feast to send prayers for the travelers. As people from the two nations gathered at Wolf Point’s community centre to feast on cow heart stew and fresh bannock, stories of the buffalo were shared and gifts were exchanged.
Jonny Bearcub-Stiffarm, part of the Pte Group, said people on both sides of the border worked together to agree on a process to get the animals over the border.
Bearcub-Stiffarm said she remembers hearing stories about buffalo from her grandparents, but now today’s generation will experience seeing them in their communities.
Bearcub-Stiffarm said many people remember going up to Canada to visit relatives but over the years those visits stopped due to a variety of issues. Information wasn’t shared about the animals like it was before, but a renewed relationship between First Nations brings her hope.
The 11 plains bison were brought to Fort Peck in 2024 and spent over a year in quarantine as part of the American and Canadian government’s requirements to prevent disease transmission. Defenders of Wildlife, a U.S. conservation organization, helped with the transfer process, hired trucks and drivers and co-ordinated disease testing, record keeping and inspection efforts. It has helped return roughly 400 buffalo to 26 different tribes in the United States.
MGBHLM Chief Tanya Stone came to Fort Peck to follow the bison to their new home.
The 11 Yellowstone bison will join 22 plains bison the community received from Elk Island National Park in Alberta in 2023. The animals will have about 400 hectares of land to roam. Stone says they made many visits to Fort Peck to build a relationship with the people who were giving them the bison. She said the reconnection of the two Nakota communities was important because her nation struggles with language, culture and social issues.
The Yellowstone bison arrived at the community about 125 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon on Jan. 31. It was cold but members surrounded the gates to welcome them with songs and drumming, after pipe ceremonies in the early morning.
Stone said the students at the community school learned about the animals all week by writing essays and creating artwork ahead of their arrival. She sees educational value to the buffalo, as well as food sovereignty that will improve the health of members.
Tanya Stone said four cows are pregnant and will be giving birth to the calves in May. They’ll be celebrated with pipe ceremonies, prayers and offerings.
