'It was so random': Bison crosses rush hour traffic west of Edmonton
It was not what Keira Boutilier expected to see on her way into Stony Plain to visit some friends.
Boutilier was driving east on Highway 16 near Highway 779 Wednesday evening around 5:30 p.m. when she had a close encounter with an animal on the loose.
"The people coming west, they're all like slowed down and I'm, like, just so confused," she said.
"And then I see this giant, like, buffalo bison thing. I thought it was a moose at first and then it started running into my lane."
She slowed down and pulled out her phone, capturing an eight second video of the animal running out of the median ditch, across three lanes, and into a field on the south side of the highway.
Boutilier said everyone slowed down until the animal left the highway, and it didn't appear that anything was damaged or anyone was injured.
"I was so confused. I didn't even realize there was bison close to here. It was so random. I've been driving at night and I've seen moose, but to see a bison, I'm like where did that come from?" Boutilier said with laugh.
Stray livestock in Alberta are the responsibility of the not-for-profit group Livestock Identification Services Ltd.
On Thursday, a spokesperson for that organization confirmed to CTV News Edmonton that "RCMP had three calls about the buffalo. They responded immediately and the buffalo were already back inside of the fence where they belong."
It wasn't clear how many animals escaped or for how long.
Wood Bison bulls can weigh up to 880 kilograms (about 1,900 lbs) and stand about 182 centimetres (6 feet), according to The Canadian Encyclopaedia.
Wood Bison cows can weigh up to 540 kilograms (about 1,200 lbs) and stand about 152 centimetres (5 feet).
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Another suspect arrested in Toronto Pearson airport gold heist: police
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Trump hush money trial: Play-by-play on Day 2 of Stormy Daniels testimony
Adult film star Stormy Daniels took the stand for a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump's hush money case continues in Manhattan.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
Cyclist strikes child crossing the street to catch school bus in Montreal
A video circulating on social media of a young girl being hit by a bike has some calling for better safety and more caution when designing bike lanes in the city. The video shows a four-year-old girl crossing Jeanne-Mance Street in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood to get on a school bus stopped on the opposite side of the street
B.C. wildfires likely to spread with weekend temperatures expected to soar, province says
Wildfire and emergency management officials in British Columbia are urging residents to be prepared for increased fire activity as temperatures are expected to soar above 30 C in parts of the province this weekend.
Wilfrid Laurier football player drafted despite only playing 27 games in his entire life
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.