Every year, the harsh winters of Yellowstone National Park drive the bison away, in search of food. Unfortunately, some of the park’s bison wandered across the border into Montana and are now in danger of being slaughtered. Montana prohibits wild bison through an agreement between the federal and state governments because the animals are major carriers of the deadly reproductive disease brucellosis.
Currently, over 500 bison are corralled on the border after being captured when they crossed into Montana. Wildlife advocates had requested to stop the planned slaughter, but on February 14, US District Judge Charles Lovell denied the request. The 72-page opinion of Judge Lovell included statements such as, “For those of us who admire the Yellowstone bison, it is easy to be sympathetic to an emotional appeal to ‘stop the slaughter. Yet it is clear that this population of wild bison – diseased and healthy – ought not to be allowed to reproduce prolifically beyond the capacity of its range without the institution of scientific management.
The plaintiffs plan to appeal the decision. In the meantime, the captured bison are being tested for brucellosis. So far, 217 have tested positive for the disease, leaving many cattle ranchers concerned. Even though the wild bison are considered an endangered species, Judge Lovell’s opinion is that the herd could stand to be culled, using past slaughters as a basis for his argument.
Wildlife advocates feel that at the bottom of this case is the increasing need to review the federal-state bison agreement. Signed in 2000, many feel that it is already outdated and needs an environmental review. In 2009 this issue was pursued through the court system, but the suit was thrown out.
Read more about the case here.
So they are already corralled? Is it that hard to just move them back to the other side of the firing lines? Is there a true need to kill these endangered animals just because they are crossing state lines into some cattle territory? how about ranchers get some funding and install fencing to protect the cattle? I would imagine there are grants and fund available, they should be fenced in anyways to protect them from other predators. Seems like a ridiculous argument to say say they need to be slaughtered
I can, to a certain extent, understand the argument for culling those animals that are infected. Brucellosis is a growing problem in the Yellowstone area, and removal (better yet, treatment, when it is a viable option) of diseased animals can only positively impact the remaining herd. But to permit an indiscriminate kill based on nothing more than wildlife crossing arbitrary human borders is unconscionable. Surely, in the twenty-first century, there are less destructive ways for ranchers to safeguard their livestock.
Truly amazing. Killing endagered species to protect rich ranchers..Yet these same people will protest the hunting of seals because they’re cute..never mind they are overpopulated and useless. It’s a shame the bison aren’t cuter…Then such slaughter as this would be protested.
Bison aren’t cute? I always thought they were adorable, with their big, shaggy heads and drowsy expressions… But I guess it is a matter of perspective, too, because an awful lot of fishermen don’t think seals are even a little bit cute.
I am wondering if someone would be kind enough to provide more data. How many is the 500 out of the total herd in Yellowstone? How many Bison are raised to be killed for slaughter today in the US?
I guess I am trying to get a handle on the prespective of this kill? Where is the meat and hide going?
What is the cost to stop them from coming onto private property?
We kill 50,000 humans or so in the US every year from car accidents and over 50% of them are preventable if drinking was not involved. Yet it continues each year.
The wild bison in question are corralled on the border. In an update to the story, Montana’s Governor banned them from the state, which means they cannot be brought into the state to be slaughtered, as the originally ruling stated. (Read more here: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/16/us-yellowstone-bison-idUSTRE71E0CI20110216) Unfortunately, this is only a temporary reprieve but it will hopefully allow for alternatives to slaughter to be considered. However, even if the wild bison are not slaughtered, over 200 of them are already infected and the disease can spread rapidly, putting the overall herd in danger as well.
Currently there are a little less than 4,000 wild bison left in the herd, so the 525 that are currently corralled represents about 13% of the population.
The federal government just isn’t into defending borders.