Update: 9 Bulls Slaughtered by the State of Montana.
Ken Cole on May 22nd 2008
The 9 bulls being held at the Duck Creek Capture facility were sent to slaughter this morning.
* Marty Zaluski, Montana State Vet #406-444-0782
* Hal Harper, Governor Schweitzer’s Chief Policy Advisor #406-444-5546
* Mike Volesky, Governor Schweitzer’s Policy Advisor for Natural Resources #406-444-7857
* Governor Brian Schweitzer #406-444-3111
Filed in Brucellosis, Buffalo, Governor Brian Schweitzer, Montana Department of Livestock, Politicians, Yellowstone Buffalo | 6 responses so far
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Indamani
May 22nd 2008 at 10:25 am
1
Buffaloed,
Do we know the true count of bison that’s left in YNP now?
Buffaloed
May 22nd 2008 at 12:06 pm
2
There has been no official count of the population inside the park since April 11. Some are speculating that there are fewer than 2100 but I know of no plans to come up with an official count until this summer.
This is what the Park Service says: “The park’s current best estimate for the bison population remains between 2300 and 2100, with the lower end of that estimate probably being the most realistic.”
The way they came up with that number is by observing 1970 buffalo on April 11 doing an aerial survey then, using a computer program to determine how many they missed, they came up with the number 2145 as an estimate. The number could have been accurate but there were still buffalo dying due to starvation from the harsh winter and snow crust over their forage. The report issued mentioned that the winter kill number was 400-700, still before winter kill was finished.
The Park Service could do another aerial survey now that green-up has started but I doubt that they want to because it would probably show that there are fewer than the 2100.
According to the Interagency Bison Management Plan (IBMP) slaughter must stop if the population drops to below 2100 animals. The Department of Livestock says that this does not apply to the west side. I’m not sure where they get that idea but they don’t seem to manage based on any rules or science.
April
May 22nd 2008 at 01:26 pm
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So what happened with the folks that bought that land and made such a big deal about not letting anyone on their property? Guess their back bone is not as strong as they thought. What a shame, no need for the bulls to have been killed. I guess no matter what we do or think or say to our government and wild life services about this matter we are ignored. I guess those folks that bought that land to help the Bison might as well just move on now, since they failed.
Buffaloed
May 22nd 2008 at 01:51 pm
4
These bulls were not on that property. They were along the Park boundary just east of the intersection of highways 191 and 287. This is about 5 miles from the property on the Horse Butte Peninsula. It is also where the DoL has the Duck Creek capture facility, and where they base their operations, which sits just yards away from the Park boundary.
At this time there are some buffalo on the Galanis property and there are rumors that they are going to meet with the DoL soon. The DoL insists that they can enter their property to conduct “bison management”. So far the DoL has not entered their property.
Indamani
May 22nd 2008 at 05:49 pm
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Buffaloed,
Appreciate your response to my question. Thanks.
Mary Alice Pollard, Cornwall's Voice for Animals.UK
Jun 3rd 2008 at 05:43 am
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We just seem to be going backwards in time when it comes to fighting for the rights of animals to live free from exploitation and death ! GREED - What an evil virus it is ! We fight to save these precious animals on this planet - with no support from the powers that rule us - then again can we expect anything else from them - because as they destroy the animal life, the plant life, the lakes and oceans - they slowly destroy the human animal also !
I saw a film the other evening called THE PLANET AFTER HUMANS and all I could say was BRING IT ON - It was good to see the animal populations surviving naturally as they should - and not one evil human animal around to spoil it !