The bison population around Fort Providence is still recovering from a devastating 2012 anthrax outbreak that lowered its numbers to 700 from 1,550.
As of the last 2016 estimate, the Mackenzie bison population numbers at 850 animals and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources plans to survey the population again in late winter of 2019, according to Dorothy Westerman, a spokesperson for the department.
In 2016, the Mackenzie bison population numbered at 850 animals, down from 1,550 before a 2012 anthrax outbreak, but up from the 700 counted afterwards. The population will be surveyed again in 2019.
“No anthrax cases or outbreaks have been detected since 2012 in the Mackenzie population and the last outbreak in the Slave River Lowlands populations was in 2010,” wrote Westerman in a statement.
“The most recent anthrax outbreak occurred in Wood Buffalo National Park in 2015, where over 50 bison died from anthrax.”
The GNWT updated its Anthrax Emergency Response Plan in 2013, after the outbreak, to reflect tactics for responding to very large anthrax outbreaks like those in 2010 and 2012 and Westerman said this plan has helped guide its approach to bison management since.
“ENR conducts targeted aerial surveillance for anthrax outbreaks every summer from late June to mid-August for both Mackenzie and Slave River Lowlands bison populations,” she wrote.
“Anthrax has never been detected in the Nahanni population, or earlier than late June in any Northern bison population.”
While bison management is the NWT is largely guided by the GNWT’s Wood Bison Management Strategy, a herd-specific management plan that was recently completed for the Mackenzie bison and Westerman stated this will be “made available to the public shortly.”
In Fort Providence, Deh Gah Got'ie First Nations Chief Xavier Canadien said he hadn’t personally noticed any changes in the bison seen around the community.