CALGARY - Canada needs to devote more land to restoring secure and wild bison populations, says a new report.

Though North America now hosts 430,000 of the majestic mammals, 93% of those are in commercial herds, said Cormack Gates, a U of C environmental design professor.

"Those herds are not being managed necessarily for conservation," he said.

"The public perception is that they're secure wildlife - they are not secure at all." Gates edited a new report for International Union for Conservation of Nature, which calls for land to encourage larger herds and labels bison as a near-threatened species.

Most of the wild bison herds number under 100, and they donıt properly represent the natural phenomenon on the prairies that existed prior to the 18th century extermination of at least 30 million head, said Gates.

"They are not acting like bison - they need large landscapes and larger numbers," he said.

Gates envisions bison preserves in places like the Alberta's southwest corner and along the front ranges northwest of Calgary.

Some examples of progress has been seen with the re-introduction of bison at Saskatchewanıs Grassland and Prince Albert National Parks.

But, he added, "Canada has not done a good job with the plains bison population."

"Why is it we all look to Yellowstone National Park and not elsewhere on the continent?" said Gates, referring to the U.S. park thatıs home to up to 5,000 plains bison.

He said conservation efforts must be carefully conducted with the full support of local communities.