The park is representative of the northern prairies plateau ecosystem and as such, the knob and kettle landscape is a mix of native fescue grassland that has been converted to forage land dominated by non-native grasses, aspen parkland and boreal forest.

As well, Elk Island hosts both the largest and the smallest terrestrial mammals in North America, the wood bison and pygmy shrew respectively.

[2] Though there was never any permanent indigenous settlement in the area, there are over 200 archaeological remains of campsites and stone tool-making sites.

[5] In terms of local governance, those lands within Elk Island National Park were incorporated as Improvement District (ID) No.

1987 saw the beginning of a trumpeter swan reintroduction programme, which as of 2007[update] was seeing mating pairs returning to Elk Island, raising hope for a sustainable population.

Elk Island National Park also remains a seed herd for repopulation efforts in other areas.

As early as 1907,[10][11] the Canadian government bought one of the last and largest remaining pure-bred plains bison, the Pablo-Allard herd, from Montana.

Close to 400 bison were shipped to Elk Island as a temporary waystation until the fencing at Buffalo Park in Wainwright was completed.

However, 40–70 bison[10] evaded capture and became the ancestors of today's herd in Elk Island National Park.

Elk Island has become famous for exporting its ungulates to other conservation areas around North America, and even to Russia.

[15] Starting in 2005, a series of plains bison deliveries were made to the American Prairie in northeastern Montana, including 94 head in 2010 and 72 in 2012.

[17][18] Conservationists transferred fifty-three wood bison from this national park to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center in June 2008.

[22] On September 3, 2006, the Beaver Hills dark-sky preserve, which includes Elk Island National Park within its boundaries, was declared in a ceremony held at Astotin Lake.