Baby bison new attraction at Cape Breton wildlife park
Four baby bison have been living at the Two Rivers Wildlife Park in Huntington, N.S. — along the Mira River — for about a week.
Wildlife park staff say the animals are roughly nine months old.
"So we got them from a ranch down in Inverness,” explained animal attendant Michaela Hadway. "(They are) very timid so far. They are young, and they're in a new place and they went on a long journey, so they're still kind of recovering from that. But I have a lot of faith that soon they'll discover that people have lots of good treats to give them, and they'll warm up."
To be exact, the big, bushy bovines are plains bison. As the name suggests, one of the few places in North America to find them in the wild is at Yellowstone National Park in the United States.
At Two Rivers, staff hope the bison will be a good attraction heading into the busier warmer months.
"It's always good to have something to fill the Wildlife Park a bit more, right?” Hadway said. “Add something that will put us on the map, draw in visitors."
Another staff member, Robert Lanceleve, was among those who brought the bison back from the ranch where they were bred.
Like nearly everyone, this is his first time seeing bison in person — and he can only imagine how big they'll be when fully-grown.
"Probably 1,200-1,400 pounds, so they're going to be quite large”, Lanceleve said.
The four bison haven't been named yet, but some staff members — clearly, fans of country music — have taken to calling them Dolly, Reba, Loretta and Shania.
Whether or not those names stick, they animals are already winning friends with their good nature.
"They're very timid, gentle giants and I look forward to caring for them,” Hadway said.
Hadway noted bison in captivity typically live for 20-to-25 years, so the hope is the animals will remain at Two Rivers Wildlife Park for a long time.
For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.