Bison Battle: Yellowstone Park’s Controversial Reduction Plan

"Oh, give me a home, where LESS buffalo roam..."

The song sure loses some of its romanticism when you look at it that way, right? And Yellowstone National Park officials are in the middle of a war of words over a recent decision.

HEATED LIVE TRANSFER PROGRAM ARGUMENTS

Brett French, the outdoor editor of the Billings Gazette, tells us that as Yellowstone's bison manager announced plans to capture 120 bison for its live transfer program this winter, a Nez Perce tribal representative criticized the agency’s trapping program for frustrating their treaty hunts.

During a meeting last week, Eric Holt, chairman of the Nez Perce Tribe Fish and Wildlife Commission, was quoted as saying, “If you conduct the activities for the bison transfer program, that takes precedence over what I feel is a trust responsibility of Yellowstone National Park to ensure that we have some sort of harvest.”

Rebuttal come during the public comment period from a bison advocate chastising tribes for being “complicit” in killing bison. Clint Nagel, president of the Gallatin Wildlife Association was quoted as saying, “We want to see the bison migration patterns fully restored without a mass slaughter of bison at the park boundary.”

HOW MANY AND WHICH  BISON GET TRANSFERRED

Brett French explains that, with its bison population estimated at 5,300 as of August, Yellowstone park officials will “be using all tools to decrease” the herd this coming winter with trapping beginning as soon as possible.

For its live transfer program, Yellowstone captures bison near the park’s northern border. Animals that test negative for exposure to brucellosis, a disease that can cause pregnant ungulates to abort, will be entered into the live transfer program. Those that test positive will be sent to slaughter with the meat provided to cooperating tribes, including the Confederated Salish & Kootenai, Northern Arapahoe and Northern Cheyenne.

To meet its goals for keeping the bison population between 3,500 to 6,000 animals, the Park Service is recommending the removal of 700 to 1,300 bison this winter. The numbers are based on the estimated reproductive capability of the surviving bison.

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There are a lot more layers to unfold in this controversial plan. Check out Brett's intriguing article for many more details here.