The influence of rut and environmental factors on the behaviour of wood bison

Abstract

Male and female wood bison (Bison bison athabascae Rhoads, 1897) were found to devote equivalent amounts of time to basic activities. Increased standing at the expense of feeding occurred during the rut and when the abundance of black flies (Simuliidae) was high. Weather had little effect on activity during the summer and fall study period. Results presented give some support to the suggestion that, in contrast to plains bison (Bison bison bison Linnaeus, 1758), there may be a trend away from a linear dominance hierarchy in male wood bison. Any such trend would be a function of small group size during the rut, which is suggested to be a function of the use of forest for feeding during the fall.