Extinct in the United States for over a century, the wood bison is now getting the chance to roam – once again – the Alaskan lands. The historical moment was possible thanks to the incredible efforts of the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The repopulation program started in 2003, when 13 bison were brought from Canada.
Now, after almost two decades since the project has been launched, at least 100 bison were released in the wild, near Shageluk, Alaska. The huge herbivores, which can easily weigh more than 2,000 pounds, have once roamed the region in extremely large herds. Unfortunately, due to overhunting, the species went extinct about a century ago. And since the moment was a really unique one, it had to be captured on camera, resulting in a stunning footage. Bellow you can watch the 100 bison heard while thundering back into the Alaskan wilderness.
The biologist Tom Seaton had the honor to lead the giant animals back where they belong. Riding a snowmobile, Tom is fallowed by the woolly animals. The herd is mostly of pregnant cows and young bison. However, the biologists at Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center declared that more adult males will be join the herd soon. Since the cows and the calves were transferred by the plane, putting the huge, volcanic bulls in there wouldn’t have been a great idea at all. So they will be transported by a boat, The Dodo reported.