except by the way of Salt Plain. Both ranges are parts of a 

 flat or rolling forested plain, traversed by low ridges of sand, 

 gravel or limestone. The total area of the two ranges probably 

 does not exceed 5,000 square miles. 



There has not until recently been much study given to this 

 remnant of the Wood Bison; but it is generally understood that 

 the buffalo of the southern range spend the early part of the 

 summer in the northern part of the range near the upper waters 

 of the Little Buffalo River, and in August they move southward 

 only a few miles and spend the winter not far north of Peace 

 River between Peace Point and Point Providence. 



The existence of this herd of wild buffalo has long been 

 known but information in regard to it more or less vague. As 

 late as 1917 a superintendent of the Royal Canadian Mounted 

 Police who had been in charge of the district for thirty-two 

 years estimated that there were then (1885) only 250 and that 

 they were dying out, but since being placed under Government 

 protection have prospered and increased. 



In 1922 the Canadian Government decided to get all avail- 

 able facts possible about the numbers of these animals, their 

 habits, food supplies, condition of health, etc., and for this 

 purpose a party was sent out during the summer of that year. 

 The party made a complete exploration of the buffalo range, and 

 from their investigation a large amount of important information 

 has been secured. It is now definitely known that there are two 

 main herds and a conservative estimate well within the actual 

 number places the number of buffalo in the northern herd at 

 500 and 1,000 on the southern range. 



During the past year (1923) the Canadian Government has 

 established a new National Park to be known as "Wood Buffalo 

 Park." It includes the habitat of these two herds of Wood 

 Bison. The patrol service consists of eight men, all familiar 

 with northland conditions. They live in cabins which they 

 themselves have erected on different parts of the range and are 

 visited periodically by an inspector. It is expected that with 

 this protection from poachers and predatory animals such as 

 wolves, these two herds will continue to increase and will com- 



* This new park includes a territory of about 10,500 square miles, and it is 

 the tenth National Park and wild life sancutary established by Canada. 



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