Activity 3

Genetic Mapping of Herds

The BIG Project looks to answer questions like “how much genetic diversity is there for a given herd?"

and "which herds are more at risk for potential inbreeding?”

The Challenge

Understanding the current genetic makeup of today’s wood bison herds is extremely important.

Since a number of these herds are small and isolated, they risk losing genetic health faster than large ones — making them less resilient to disease, environmental change, and future threats.

Another factor for genetic mapping is to identify

what amount of 'wood bison genetics' and

'plains bison genetics' exist in each herd.

In the 1920s, 6000 Plains Bison were shipped from Wainwright, Alberta, north to Wood Buffalo National Park. This transfer led to the introduction of disease from this herd and mixing of these plains bison into the existing small wood bison population.

In the late 1950's, a small herd of isolated wood bison were rediscovered in Wood Buffalo National Park. 16 of these bison were shipped north to establish the Mackenzie herd and 23 were shipped south to establish the Elk Island National Park herd. This move was an effort to save the 'genetically pure' wood bison.

However, it was later discovered that this isolated herd at some point in time did mix with the introduced diseased plains bison; luckily the Mackenzie herd remained uninfected; sadly, the adults of the Elk Island herd were found to be diseased and were culled, while 11 disease-free calves were salvaged and hand-reared.

The 11 disease-free calves were used as the founding herd for 5 of the 9 wild wood bison herds in existence today.

Thus two questions are raised for genetic mapping,

(1) how much wood and plains genetics exist in each herd? and

(2) what herds are most at-risk for genetic bottlenecking or inbreeding?

The Solution

In order to ensure bison genetic diversity and potentially save the wood bison as a distinct subspecies, the BIG Project aims to

establish a genetic map of wood bison.

By understanding the genetic make-up of each herd, Indigenous nations and bison management groups can know what herds would need help in accessing genetics outside of said herd.