Unalaska, AK – As soon as the weather allows, Umnak Island will have three new residents: a trio of buffalo calves that are expected to boost the island's profile as a hunting destination.

The Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association, which operates a hunting lodge in the lone Umnak Island village of Nikolski, is partnering with the Chaluka Corp., the local village corporation, on the project. APICDA Director of Tourism George Weaver said the bison herd, which APICDA and Chaluka hope to build to about 50 animals, could provide an added draw for hunters who are already coming to the island for reindeer.

"For someone to come out and hunt a reindeer and a bison--that could be a really good trophy opportunity in one package," he said.

Ace Cargo is flying the bison out from a private game refuge near Anchorage, although weather has kept that from happening over the past week. These buffalo will be the first of their kind on Umnak Island, but the island is already home to plenty of other non-native livestock. In addition to the reindeer, a large herd of cattle grazes the eastern end of the island on a ranch at Fort Glenn, a World War II-era military airfield. There are also herds of sheep and horses left over from abandoned ranching operations.

Weaver said that Umnak Island's grassy landscape is a good fit for the bison for several reasons.

"For one thing, it's an island," he said "Also, the bison will do well because of the grazing opportunities there--and [they'll] even do better on the land than the cattle have, because the bison's a wild animal" accustomed to foraging.

APICDA is starting a bison herd at a time when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which manages much of the land in the Aleutians, is trying to reduce non-native species populations in the islands. But the area where these bison will be going, just south of Nikolski, is privately owned by Chaluka.

The corporation will also own the bison. Trophy hunters will be able to take the heads of the animals they kill, but the meat will stay in the community.

Weaver said he hopes that projects like this one can stir up interest in Aleutian villages, and that that interest can be converted into tourism dollars.

"The problem with the Aleutians is just getting people out there to see them," he said. "Anything we can do to add to that interest is very important for our communities."

APICDA is also planning to build a hunting lodge on St. George Island, which could be up and running by 2009.