Bison are on the loose, so keep your eyes peeled along Highway 64.
The West Nipissing OPP detachment issued a traffic advisory yesterday, asking motorists to remain “vigilant” while travelling on Highway 64 in the Lavigne area.
Vigilant indeed, as the police reported around 50 bison have been wandering loose in the area. A specific property home to the animals has not been released so be mindful along the entire stretch of road. An adult bison can weigh up to 2,000 pounds or 900 kilograms, as compared to the average adult moose, which tops out around 1,600 lbs or over 700 kg.
The cause of the great bison escape? OPP explained in its advisory that a fence was damaged by a fallen tree, and once the bison caught on, they decided to see if the grass truly is greener on the other side.
See: Last lost bison returned home as herd makes a run for it through storm-damaged fence
The same thing happened at the BisON Ranch in January of 2022. The ranch, about 15 minutes north of Sturgeon Falls in Crystal Falls, also had a fence breached by a fallen tree. Eight bison scattered, and it took almost four weeks to bring them back home.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.