Buffalo Hazing Save the Helpless Buffalo Slaughter in Yellowstone Call for

Save the Helpless Buffalo Slaughter in Yellowstone Call for Governor and buffalo managers to stay out of calving grounds This has been a gruesome year for the buffalo of Yellowstone with nearly one third of the herd killed by state and federal authorities. The 1,465 animals slaughtered represent the largest death toll for Yellowstone's buffalo since the 19th Century, when the species was nearly wiped off the planet. On the heels of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report critical of the way that bison have been treated, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Buffalo Field Campaign, and Gallatin Wildlife Association have called for the Governor of Montana and administrators of the Interagency Bison Management Plan (IBMP) to immediately put a bold plan in place to stop the slaughter. The plan centers on a specific geographic area west of the park, where the factors that normally cloud the buffalo debate are not present. A moratorium on buffalo slaughter and harassment at Horse Butte will allow the herds time to recover while a more humane management plan can be put into place.

"There is a way out of this senseless slaughter," said Louisa Willcox, senior wildlife advocate for the NRDC. "I think everyone recognizes that a change is needed here---but the same issues of conflict with cattle and property rights issues always short circuit public debate. Those issues do not apply at Horse Butte. This proposal gives the buffalo a chance to recover while the state and federal authorities get time to look at the criticism from community groups and the GAO report. I am confident we can find a better way to manage these national icons."

In the coming weeks, Yellowstone buffalo will make their annual migration westward to calving grounds where they can find food and safely birth new calves. Many will head to the Horse Butte peninsula, located outside of Yellowstone's western border in Montana. Typically, state and federal officials have attempted to aggressively force the animals back into the park for fear of potential disease transmission to cattle. This "hazing" of the animals has created some ugly and unfortunate situations with calves being trampled by the startled stampede.

However, in letters to Governor Schweitzer and administrators responsible for managing the buffalo, the groups have called for a moratorium on these techniques in Horse Butte, pointing out that they are brutal and unnecessary. The Horse Butte land is free of cattle, has new owners who welcome the buffalo, and is geographically isolated. These factors completely eliminate the alleged justification for harassing these animals. Simply put, there is no conflict here, so there should be no killing.

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[wafflewarriorthe3rd]

:( screw the wolves! save the buffalo!

[islandgurlvsocean]

stop killing off all the Buffalo Ken Salazar!

[F14ace]

@h20fwler1

Everybody is too busy trying to save the wolves (which are not endangered, by the way). Seriously, I'm glad to see somebody who actually cares about the bison for a change.

[h20fwler1]

Wheres the saughter? Aren't the wolves there eating them up now?