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The annual report for the buffalo park here has been prepared and forwarded to Ottawa by Superintendent McTaggart, in which he deals to considerable length with the very satisfactory birth rate in the local reserve during the year just closed. This is Supt. McTaggart’s second report since being placed in charge. The report deals with other matters of importance in and around the park, suggestions being made throughout by the superintendent.
In an interview with Supt. McTaggart, The Star was made aquainted with what is planned in the way of erecting concrete posts to replace the cedar, tamarack, and spruce posts that are gradually rotting away. Tenders have been asked for 3,000 posts of this material to go around ten miles of the park fence, and if the experiment proves successful the entire distance around the park of seventy-five miles will be fenced with concrete posts.
Supt. McTaggart states that extensive plans are made for the year just begun and that a system will be started to preserve the different breeds of buffalo. Corrals will be built, in which the male animals will be placed, only a few being allowed to run with the females. The animals will be vaccinated as a preventative against blackleg, which is prevalent outside the park. A considerable amount of money will spent during the year.
A buffalo bull was killed and shipped to Edmonton on Monday afternoon. Hon. Dr. Roche, Minister of the Interior, presented the four quarters of the animals to the Old Timer’s Association and the tender meat will be eaten at a banquet to be held in that city by the members of the association on Thursday night.
The report, prepared by Supt. McTaggart shows that there are at present 1444 buffalo in the park, the increase last year haveing been 236, with a decrease of 9. One was shipped to Winnipeg for the park there, two went to Ireland, two were killed for Calgary and four died, two of these being cripples. There are 32 elk in the reserve, last years increase being 8. The moose number 13, the increase being 3 since last report. There are four antelope with no increase over last year. Since the last report, 10 deer have been born, making the present total of 70.
There was quite an increase in the number of visitors to the park this last year, and the records of employees go to show that 3,500 passed through the gates to view the animals. Supt. McTaggart is of the opinion that a much larger number will visit the park as soon as the G. T. P. is through to the coast.