The role of commercial bison production in conservation strategies in Canada

Abstract

In Canada, numerous actors manage bison (Bison bison) and assist in population restoration after bisons’ near extinction in the late 19^th century. The largest number of bison in Canada are managed by commercial bison farms. This research maps commercial bison farms and bison livestock as reported by the 2021 Census of Agriculture in Canada. The dispersion of commercial bison on the landscape depicts their important contribution to species restoration in Canada. Commercial bison producers, wildlife conservationists, and Indigenous communities need to be included to ensure full breadth of species restoration, especially at the landscape level.