Number of collisions with bison on N.W.T. roads declines (Bison may be drawn to recovering wildfire areas, instead of roadside vegetation, says ecologist)

The number of bison being hit on roads in the N.W.T. appears to be on the decline. From 2021 to 2025, the N.W.T. Department of Environment and Climate Change (ECC) recorded 60 collisions with bison. So far in 2026 however, there has been only one. Terry Armstrong, Bison Ecologist with ECC, says the territory may actually have wildfires to thank for those statistics. “The immediate effect of fire is that bison change where they're spending their time,” he said. “Bison have a habit of moving into recently burnt areas and benefiting from those.” He says they can start to return...