During the 2005/2006 winter season over 1000 free roaming buffalo have been slaughtered for leaving the confines of Yellowstone National Park .
Not understanding or knowing what fate awaits them, some of the buffalo leave the park in search of better forage during the harsh winter months. Under a cooperative agreement (Interagency Bison Management Plan ) among federal and state government agencies, the Montana Department of Livestock (MDOL) hazes buffalo and engages in a capture, test, and slaughter program out of the unreasonable fear that the buffalo will transmit brucellosis to domestic cattle, (a disease that causes spontaneous abortion among livestock). It is extremely important to note that there has never been a documented case of a wild buffalo transmitting brucellosis to livestock .
In Grand Teton National Park , where infected buffalo and livestock have co-mingled for more than 45 years, there has not been a single incident of disease transmission. However, the state of Montana on behalf of the livestock industry has killed more than 3200 buffalo since 1985 based on this unsubstantiated fear.
The Yellowstone bison herd is the only continuously wild herd in the United States . It is descended from just 23 wild bison that survived the mass eradication of the 19th century and is the largest remaining single population of genetically pure bison. Yellowstone bison are a unique cultural and biological treasure because they are the last wild bison in America . Please help save them from another senseless slaughter. Please click here for more information on the buffalo and how you may help. - Robin J. Andreae
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