I really enjoyed #BisonFestival @ElkIslandNP today. Time for an illustrated Twitter essay on bison management there! pic.twitter.com/XfojzoMxyR
But first, here is a bison curled up just like a cat. He was twitching his tail, munching contentedly on grass. pic.twitter.com/L0W7ydvrnJ
Cool fact no 1 about @ElkIslandNP: it's the only fenced-in national park in Canada.- Cool fact #2: @ElkIslandNP, with many moose, deer, and elk as well as bison, has the 2nd-highest density of ungulates of any park worldwide.
.@ElkIslandNP's herds have been disease-free since the 1970s. They've translocated 2000+ bison worldwide. pic.twitter.com/UEJUEQNoMb
This metal trailer transported bison to Russia. Notice the scoring from their horns (seen from the outside!) pic.twitter.com/2i3meFYVXN
We got to tour the million-dollar bison handling facility @ElkIslandNP, which was really fascinating. pic.twitter.com/OFCedeWxVK
The chutes are now curved to better suit bison's range of vision. They can see the path ahead & get less stressed. pic.twitter.com/u821HtVVTH
They also hang blue flags by the individual holding stalls because the colour has a calming effect on the bison. pic.twitter.com/joxpFMpSlh
In the "squeeze," where bison get their check-ups, each is held by the shoulders using an adjustable vise. pic.twitter.com/VUxavaZ0Oh
Veterinary tools. The long pink glove is used to check cows for pregnancies. The blue glove, you can probably guess. pic.twitter.com/9BqFS2WyUH
The holding pens had "triangles" for human shelter in case of angry bison. Only 2 workers have ever been injured. pic.twitter.com/RdKKtE2zGH
This is @ElkIslandNP's original barn, built 1907. It housed the horses that wardens used to patrol the park. pic.twitter.com/kfkXUfake9
Wardens no longer patrol on horseback, but material artifacts from that era remain. pic.twitter.com/PuR6dEFz0z
Here's a 1980s-era artifact, which ranks among the finest photos of human-bison interaction ever recorded. pic.twitter.com/G5XZKCM8o5
This model Ukrainian pioneer house dates to 1951. It was meant to house an Elk Island Museum that never materialized. pic.twitter.com/uviQl4K1F2
There are many entwined human, non-human, & natural histories still to be told about this park. pic.twitter.com/YJf9rw7k04
The #BisonFestival was held at beautiful Astotin Lake, the heart of the original Elk Island preserve. pic.twitter.com/G07y7rc8AT
Neither the largest nor showiest of Canada's national parks, @ElkIslandNP's still worth a visit. These guys await you pic.twitter.com/EPyJyr6yqI
The end. (Thanks for reading!) pic.twitter.com/YyyQsTfnsj
Bison in the Parkland
Reflections on the #BisonFestival @ElkIslandNP, 15 August 2015
by
Tina Adcock45 Views
Tina Adcock45 Views
