Fast vehicles, dusk and dark bison: A mix for disaster

The driver in a collision Monday evening between a passenger truck and a bison appears to havewalked away, but the truck was totalled and a bison killed.

It's arisk thatincreasesas the days get shorter, says Adrian Lizotte,wildlife manager for the North Slave region, with the N.W.T.Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

"This time of year we see people used to driving on the highway with 24-hour sunlight," says Lizotte."Now, in the fall, things are getting dark and it's difficult to see a big dark black bison standing in the middle of the road at night."

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Since 2007, there havebeen one to 30bison collisions every year on the highway between Fort Providence and Behchoko.

"Some of these animals could be up to 2,000 pounds [900 kilograms]," says Lizotte."They can cause serious damage or life-threatening injuries.

"Be careful not to overdrive your headlights. Stay in the speed limit."

Lizotte saysbison are natural herding animals, so if a driver sees one there is a good chance there will be more in the area up to 20 or 30 if females and calves are together.

Myth buster

There was a time when a driver might count on seeingno bison between Yellowknife and Frank Channel, near Behchoko. If that was ever true, Lizotte says, it certainly isn't true anymore.

"Maybe five or six years ago there wasn't any report of bison pastFrank Channel [toward Yellowknife], but from then ... sometimes animals do come on this side towards Yellowknife."

Lizottesays about three years ago abison was hit by a semi-truck just30 or 40 kilometres outside of the city.

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Remember to report

Drivers who hit a bison are obligated to report the incident to wildlife authorities within 24 hours.

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There are no charges, Lizotte says,for hitting a bisonbut failing toreporta collision is a violation of the Wildlife Act and could result in a court date.

Lizotte says officers want to make sure there's nothing on the scene that needs attendingto, andthat theanimal does not sufferunnecessarily.

"We just want to make sure people are safe and sound," says Lizotte.

"If the animal is salvageable then an officer will go out [and] put the animal down. At least we can salvage the meat and bring it back to a local community."