9 bison mothers expecting babies this year in Banff National Park

Brand-new bison calves could bring the population of a protected herd in Banff National Park up to 35 this year, Parks Canada says.

The species had been missing from the wild for more than a century when 16 bison were moved to Panther Valley last winter in hopes to re-establishing a wild herd in the park.

Ten more calves were born last summer.

This year, nine of the 10 bison cows are expecting — and they could start giving birth as early as April.

"It's important to remember though that these are wild bison and it is normal that some cows may not bring their calves to full term," said a bison blog post by Parks Canada, released Tuesday.

Some bison cows don't bring their calves to full term but if all are born, the calves will more than double the existing herd. (Karsten Heuer/Parks Canada)

"But if all the calves are born successfully, it could bring the herd's number to 35 animals — a long way from the initial 16 bison that arrived in Banff last February."

The bison are held in a paddock that's protected from predators. This summer, park officials plan to remove the fencing to allow bison to roam more freely.

Bison calves walk with their guardians last summer in Banff's Panther Valley. (Karsten Heuer/Parks Canada)

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