Wood Buffalo National Park
Wood Buffalo is a national park in the provinces of Alberta and the Northwest Territories, Canada. It was founded in 1983. It is the largest national park in Canada, covering an area of 44,807 km2.
Within the boundaries of Wood Buffalo Park are wooded plateaus scarred by wildfires, a plateau eroded by glaciers, a significant freshwater delta formed by three major rivers, salt flats and the best examples of the karst relief of North America. It also includes the most extensive untouched grass and sedge prairies in North America, creating the best conditions for bison to live in. The park has a long tradition of using natural resources. It was inhabited very recently, as soon as the glaciers retreated, by nomadic Mikesu –Cree groups belonging to the first nations, some of whom continue to hunt, set snares and fish here. The climate is characterized by one of the longest and coldest winters and a short, warm summer, the reservoirs are ice-free only in June, July and August.
Among the 47 species of mammals found in Wood Buffalo National Park are the Canadian caribou deer, Arctic fox, American black bear, moose, beaver and muskrat, as well as 227 species of birds, including the falcon, bald eagle, bearded mare and polar owl. The reserve is also known for the fact that its territory is home to the largest wild herd of American bison on the continent (about 2500 heads). The number of American cranes is approximately 140 individuals, of which 40 pairs are breeding. It is an amazingly beautiful bird, snow–white, 1.5 m tall, with a wingspan of 2.6 m. Twice a year, these fabulous birds travel 4,300 km full of dangers to their winter homes in Texas. Back in 1941, there were only 15 American cranes left.
There are 36 camp sites on the territory of the camp. Several of them are located on Pine Lake (60 km from Fort Smith), the most extensive is Kettle Point Group Camp, designed for large groups of tourists. A place in this campsite must be reserved in advance. If it is necessary to arrange overnight parking in the park, you must obtain permission from the administration of Wood Buffalo.
Wood Buffalo is open to the public all year round, each season has its own charms. There are many hiking trails in the park of varying length and complexity, from very short walking trails to long and difficult ones. Almost any trail allows you to see the indescribable beauty of the surrounding nature. Since wild animals behave very cautiously in nature, the probability of encountering them during a walk is very low, but from a distance you can see a lot of interesting things. The park is interesting not only for travelers, but also for serious wildlife researchers. So in Wood Buffalo Park, in its southern part, the longest beaver dam in the world was discovered, its length is about 850 meters (usually 10-100 meters). Many interesting materials dedicated to the development of the region and the protection of the wildlife of the region can be seen in the collection of the Fort Smith Museum. In Fort Smith, you can rent a boat or canoe and walk along the Wood Buffalo waterway to Fort Fitzgerald, Fort McMurray, Fort Chipuyani. Motorboats are allowed on large rivers such as the Athabasca River, Quatre Forces River, Peace River, Slave River.
