If You See A Bison In The Control Area

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In the Northwest Territories, two herds of wood bison have been re-established and are disease-free. The Mackenzie herd numbers approximately 1500 animals.  The herd represents the largest herd of healthy wood bison in Canada and is a cornerstone in the Canada’s wood bison recovery program. The Nahanni herd now numbers about 400 animals.

Bison populations in the Slave River Lowlands and Wood Buffalo National Park areas are infected with bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis.  The Bison Control Area (BCA) was created in 1987 to prevent the spread of these diseases to the healthy Mackenzie and Nahanni herds. The BCA program is jointly funded by the Parks Canada Agency and the Government of the Northwest Territories.

All bison in the BCA are presumed to be diseased and must be removed and tested.


Please report any bison sightings in the BCA as soon as possible to the nearest ENR office.

Under the Northwest Territories Wildlife regulations, a resident may at anytime, hunt bison within the BCA.  A hunter who kills bison in the BCA is required to report the incident as soon as practical.

For more information regarding the Bison Control Program, please contact any ENR office:

Fort Liard: (867) 770-4351
Fort Providence: (867) 669-3002
Fort Simpson: (867) 695-7450
Fort Smith: (867) 872-6400
Hay River: (867) 875-5550