Wood Bison

The American bison--an iconic species of North American wildlife--is comprised of two subspecies: the wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) and plains bison (Bison bison bison). We have exhibited both subspecies here at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. The wood bison-- the larger of the two subspecies-- is the lesser known and more imperiled of the two subspecies. In fact, the wood bison is a federally endangered subspecies and the subject of our signature conservation breeding program here at the Center. The wood bison is not only the larger of the two subspecies of bison, it is the largest terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere.

Our hundred plus head of wood bison at the AWCC include founder stock originating from Elk Island National Park in Alberta, Canada and their offspring born here at the Center.

Hunting pressures most likely contributed to the local extinction of wood bison in Alaska. The Interior region of the state represents the western part of their historic range. Soon they will be released back into the wild to establish the first wild herd of wood bison in Alaska in over 100 years. This will be a great achievement as result of a partnership between the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and the Alaska Department of Fish & Game. For more information about the wood bison and our effort to restore them to the nature, please visit Alaska Department of Fish & Game's Profile.