Bison break free from pen and lead police on chase along Canadian border, Maine cops say

Maine residents accustomed to seeing moose or black bear got a glimpse of another, more unusual large animal recently.

Three bison sprung from their enclosure in rural Maine on Feb. 27, leading police and state officials on a perilous chase.

Police in Fort Fairfield — a small town on the U.S.-Canada border — received a call reporting the loose bison on a state highway early in the morning Monday, according to a police news release.

Upon receiving the report, state and local officials set out to round up the enormous animals.

“These types of incidents create a difficult and dangerous situation for all involved as the animals are quite large, unpredictable, cannot be captured or trailered and need to be pushed back to their pen utilizing the roadway,” police said.

An image posted on social media shows the bovine trio trotting down the middle of a road while a column of cars and a school bus follow closely behind.

Aided by a local snowmobiler, officials were eventually able to corral two of the bison back into their pen.

Drivers were urged to use caution as one bison remained on the loose.

Police also discovered a damaged portion of fencing on their pen, which they believe allowed the animals to escape. The area was repaired with the help of volunteers.

The last loose bison was found on the state highway and returned to its pen Feb. 28, police said.

The owner of the animals, whom police are familiar with, will likely face charges. An investigation into the incident is still underway.

The Fort Fairfield Police Department did not immediately respond to a McClatchy News request for comment.

The American bison is the largest land animal in North America and can weigh over one ton, according to the National Wildlife Federation.

About 30 million bison roamed the continent several hundred years ago, but they were driven nearly to extinction by settlers, according to the NWF. Today, bison populations have recovered somewhat, and wild herds can be found in state and national parks and reserves.

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