Elk Island National Park, Alberta, Canada

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Elk Island National Park is an island, not in the geographical sense, but in terms of its landscape of small hills and depressions surrounded by flat plains, and by virtue of its purpose, to create a fenced refuge for the protection and preservation of 3000 head of hoofed mammals, one of the highest concentrations of big game animals in the world. It was the first federally controlled area in Canada to be enclosed to protect a native mammal, the elk, and also the first large mammal sanctuary established in Canada. Set in the Beaver Hills, 45 kilometres east of Edmonton, Alberta, its 194 square kilometres rises 60 metres above the surrounding prairie, an oasis of boreal mixed forest and aspen parkland vegetation. It is also an island of protection for the heritage resources within its boundaries, and an island of tranquility for the 350 000 - 400 000 visitors who each year approach the park as a destination for nature and wildlife viewing.

The park has more than 250 lakes, ponds and wetlands over 20% of its surface area. Astotin Lake, near the park’s north end is 3.9 kilometres long, almost 3.1 kilometres wide and 0.5 - 10 metres deep, the park’s largest body of water.

How to get there

Elk Island National Park is located approximately one hour from Edmonton on Highway 16 East, also known as the Yellowhead. The park is open 365 days a year and is an excellent location to view wildlife, play a round of golf, hike or walk a trail, or just relax. A valid National Parks pass is required to enter the park.

Flora

The forested hills and rolling meadows are surrounded by grain fields and pasture, the aspen thickets providing forage and protection for the wildlife. Unique vegetation communities of white spruce, white birch, sand hill vegetation and saline wetlands are also found. Trembling aspen appears on the higher slopes and paper birch on the lower wetlands. In the northern end of the park are the boreal-type forest, orchids, Indian pipe, yellow pond lily and white water lily. In the central region are the black spruce bogs with muskeg vegetation such as round-leafed sundew. Browsing moose, elk, and deer munch berry bushes such as dogwood and saskatoon. Some prairie vegetation that may appear within the park are hawthorn, buckbean, buckbrush, prairie sage and Black-eyed Susan.

Fauna

The rich aspen parkland vegetation is an extremely productive habitat for a widely diverse and abundant wildlife. There are 44 species of mammals ranging from North America’s largest, the wood bison, to its smallest, the pygmy shrew. The white-tailed deer, coyote, snowshoe hare, mink, weasel and ground squirrel have stable populations here. The once-threatened beaver, nearly wiped out by trappers, is now thriving. In September, the bull elk can be heard bugling challenges throughout the park. In the 1700’s, plains bison roaming throughout the continent were estimated to number in the millions. By 1870, the bison was almost eliminated and other large herbivores were rare. The wood bison, whose population had fallen to almost 300 by 1891, once traversed the forested regions of northwestern Canada in great numbers. Today, to maintain a population of no more than 350 animals in the park, between 30 and 60 surplus bison are trans-located each year to establish other free roaming populations in Canada. Similarly, elk, moose, and plains bison are shipped all over the continent for the re-introduction and upgrading of other herds. There are 230 species of birds in the park where the numerous kettles provide for a high density of dabbling ducks, particularly mallards, shovellers and pinwheels; red-necked grebes also nest along the shores. Beaver Hills is the most northern breeding range for mourning doves and a few black-crowned night herons, and the easternmost limit for the mountain-dwelling Barrow’s goldeneye. The great grey owl and both the three-toed and black-backed woodpecker winter here. Warblers are everywhere in the spruce and aspen forests. Living close to the ponds are the tiger salamander, wood frogs, the boreal chorus frog, the northwestern toad and the western garter snake.