Bison herds meet and find their home on the open range
12 of North America’s largest mammals – weighing close to 1,000 kilograms each – came head-to-head at Werribee Open Range Zoo this week as keepers introduced two bustling American bison herds for the first time.
Whilst the impressive woolly mammals were tentative to meet one another at first, it didn’t take long before some playfully locked horns and engaged in a dust bath – showcasing a positive and dynamic display of their natural behaviours.
The introduction of the two herds coincides with International Bison Day today [November 7] and is part of the Zoo’s conservation efforts to build a large thriving herd of the Near Threatened species.
Werribee Open Range Zoo Savannah keeper Ross Taylor said the playful introduction of the Zoo’s two herds was months in the making.
“We’re thrilled that everything went so smoothly,” Mr Taylor said. “Both herds were eager to explore their new environments and engaged in short, playful chases and crashes.”
Six of the bison group were welcomed to the Zoo late last year, and Mr Taylor said keepers worked on a gradual migration of the new arrivals by introducing them into bordering habitats with the other resident bison.
The American bison at Werribee Open Range Zoo play an important role as conservation ambassadors for their threatened wild cousins. The growing herd at the Zoo will help to enhance the genetic diversity for the species as part of a regional captive breeding program.
“Now combined, the Zoo’s 12 bison can make the most of a significantly larger environment and the social benefits of a large maternal herd,” Mr Taylor said.
Once numbering in the tens of millions, bison dominated the Great Plains of North America until the late 1800s. Hunted to the brink of extinction, fewer than 1,000 remained by 1890.
As a result of conservation efforts, the American bison’s wild population has increased to approximately 13,000. Today this species occupies less than one per cent of its original range, with habitat destruction and loss of genetic diversity the key threats for the species.
The American bison at Werribee Open Range Zoo play an important role as conservation ambassadors for their threatened wild cousins. The growing herd at the Zoo will help to enhance the genetic diversity for the species as part of a regional captive breeding program.
Werribee Open Range Zoo re-opened to visitors on Thursday 29 October under the latest changing of coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions by the Victorian Government. Daily visitor numbers are capped and all tickets must be pre-purchased online. For more information, visit: www.zoo.org.au