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Regional Habitat Suitability for the Ronald Lake Bison Herd: An investigation of the spatial relationship between the Ronald Lake Bison Herd and the Athabasca River in Northeast Alberta, Canada

Tuccaro, Kennedy

Wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) are a cultural keystone species for the many Indigenous peoples. The Ronald Lake Bison Herd is one of the few remaining wild herds in the world that is also free from diseases like brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis. The herd is located in the northeastern region of Alberta, Canada and is constrained by the Athabasca River on the eastern extent of their range. This research project has woven Mikisew Cree Indigenous knowledge and western scientific methods together to understand potential constraining factors that have limited the eastern progression of the Ronald Lake Bison Herd (RLBH) which has not yet been investigated. Background research into wood bison behavior resulted in the Athabasca River being unlikely to be a large factor into why the herd does not cross the river. As a result, the study pivoted to focus on the habitat suitability of the broader herd location. Suitable habitat attributes had been identified by Mikisew Cree traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and were used to guide the analysis. Using ArcGIS and RStudio, selected wetland and land cover classes were used as a proxy for preferred bison habitat. These classes were then summarized within 100 kilometers of both sides of the Athabasca River, which suggested that unsuitable habitat on the eastern side was deterring the herd from crossing the river. This study supports the broader conservation and management efforts for the RLBH through encouraging the protection of their existing range area, since no other habitat in the area was able to meet or exceed the habitability of their current location. Additionally, this research project contributes to the existing body of knowledge that demonstrates the importance of incorporating Indigenous knowledge systems into wildlife research and management.

Alberta

2023-04-08

CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

https://doi.org/10.5683/SP3/W7SBPU

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0

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