Wood Buffalo National Park - Canada's Largest National Park
Wood Buffalo National Park is the size Maryland and Virginia combined. It is the second largest park in the world. Due to
its remote location, the park has only a few visitors a day. The park was created in the 1920s for the purpose of
preserving the wood buffalo.
Our first visit in the park was to the salt flats.
its remote location, the park has only a few visitors a day. The park was created in the 1920s for the purpose of
preserving the wood buffalo.
Our first visit in the park was to the salt flats.
Marine salt buried in the ground from a long time ago emerges
from underground streams and rivers. At the left is Jackie with
Alan Clarke who will be going on the Thelon with us.
from underground streams and rivers. At the left is Jackie with
Alan Clarke who will be going on the Thelon with us.
In Jasper we found many wild rose
bushes and we continued to see them
for the next 800 miles, all the way to
Fort Smith. From Jasper north, all our
rivers flow north to the Arctic Ocean.
Below is a picture of a wild rose bush in
Buffalo National Park.
bushes and we continued to see them
for the next 800 miles, all the way to
Fort Smith. From Jasper north, all our
rivers flow north to the Arctic Ocean.
Below is a picture of a wild rose bush in
Buffalo National Park.
We saw
many
butterflies
and several
grouse
including a
baby chick.
many
butterflies
and several
grouse
including a
baby chick.
This being Wood Buffalo National Park,
we also saw buffalo including a herd of
sixty buffalo. One of the most interesting
things is to watch the buffalo wallow in
the dirt to protect themselves from the
bugs. In both the picture at the left and
the pictures below you should be able to
see the bugs around the buffalo. In the
picture below you see the same two
buffalo as in the picture to the left with
one of the buffalo rolling in the dirt.
we also saw buffalo including a herd of
sixty buffalo. One of the most interesting
things is to watch the buffalo wallow in
the dirt to protect themselves from the
bugs. In both the picture at the left and
the pictures below you should be able to
see the bugs around the buffalo. In the
picture below you see the same two
buffalo as in the picture to the left with
one of the buffalo rolling in the dirt.
The buffalo in the park have
had TB ever since the twenties.
In the seventies there was an
effort to shoot all the buffalo
and replace them but the
natives resisted that effort. The
buffalo seemed to survive the
disease rather well. The efforts
to exterminate them come from
the cattle ranchers down south
who are afraid of the infection
spreading.
had TB ever since the twenties.
In the seventies there was an
effort to shoot all the buffalo
and replace them but the
natives resisted that effort. The
buffalo seemed to survive the
disease rather well. The efforts
to exterminate them come from
the cattle ranchers down south
who are afraid of the infection
spreading.
The buffalo in Wood Buffalo
National Park are not permitted to
make physical contact with the
buffalo north of the Mckenzie.
There is an area in between
where buffalo are driven back to
the park. Any buffalo in that area
are presumed to come from the
park. If they refused to be driven
into the park, they are killed.
National Park are not permitted to
make physical contact with the
buffalo north of the Mckenzie.
There is an area in between
where buffalo are driven back to
the park. Any buffalo in that area
are presumed to come from the
park. If they refused to be driven
into the park, they are killed.
From Jasper to Fort
Smith, we saw many
beaver ponds. The
beaver house on the
right was in Wood
Buffalo National Park.
Most important, we
were privileged to
meet the resident of
that house (below).
Smith, we saw many
beaver ponds. The
beaver house on the
right was in Wood
Buffalo National Park.
Most important, we
were privileged to
meet the resident of
that house (below).
Finally, with the knowledge we are leaving the next morning for the Thelon River, we went to the Fort Smith rapids for
one last look at the Pelicans.
one last look at the Pelicans.
Coming in July if, we make it back, a link to our Thelon River trip.
