11,000-year-old bison skeleton coming to Blackfoot Crossing

Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park (BCHP) is welcoming an 11,000-year-old Bison Antiquus display.

The Bison Antiquus has been at the Badlands Historical Museum in Drumheller for decades and will be moving to Blackfoot Crossing later today (Nov. 30). 

"We are thrilled to accept the display here at Blackfoot Crossing," said Shannon Bear Chief, General Manager of BCHP. “This has been in plans for years and we are honored that the Drumheller Historical Society board chose us as the new home for this significant display.”

The Bison was discovered near Taber in the 50s. The mature male skeleton tells a story of early human integration with the extinct giant bison in North America.

"This ancestor to Plains Buffalo evolved during a changing climate and eventually became extinct 6,000 years ago,” said Sasheen Wright, Collection Manager of BCHP.

The discovery will also include a stone artifact embedded in the specimen’s brain case marking the earliest known evidence of human presence in Alberta.

"Welcoming this display to our historical park is extremely exciting and we welcome the public to come join us at Blackfoot Crossing to celebrate this significant piece of history,” said Communications of BCHP, Shilo Clark.

The welcoming ceremony will take place today (Nov. 30) at Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park south of Cluny on Siksika Nation. The official ceremony will kick off at 1 p.m.

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