Individual-based seasonal habitat selection in a forest-dwelling population of reintroduced bison Bison bison

Mapping habitat selection by threatened species provides critical information for conservation planning. For reintroduced populations, understanding is also necessary to predict dispersal and inform of new reintroduction sites. Efforts restore bison Bison the boreal forest hinge on persistence geographically isolated populations that occupy diverse landscapes, many selected habitats are unknown. We used location data from GPS-collared develop seasonal resource function (RSF) models predictive maps ‘Nahanni’ population. accounted variation in individual behaviour calculating averaged population-level coefficients RSFs, we compared these results a pooled RSF all bison. Individual RSFs revealed was not always captured RSF, although there were some consistencies. strongly forage-rich graminoid-dominated wetlands (fens) during winter, but less so summer when potential tradeoffs with poor footing biting flies. In summer, alternative sources forage such as herbaceous, shrubby fluvial (i.e. riverine islands gravel bars). The observed association may be an adaptation low availability this landscape. roads anthropogenic clearings associated development, demonstrating human–wildlife conflict. Our highlight areas interest, should considered land use planning environmental assessments. demonstrate value foraging forest-dwelling bison, particularly winter. Identifying patches, connectivity between them, important considering sites reintroductions or expansion existing populations. More broadly, our approach identify high where resources do allow extensive sample sizes animals.