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Update from the Field
Dear Buffalo Friends,
A study was released this week that determines what
we've known all along: the risk of brucellosis transmission
from wild bison to cattle is extremely remote. The study,
"Wildlife-Livestock Conflict: the Risk
of Pathogen Transmission from Bison to Cattle Outside
Yellowstone National Park" was conducted
by A. Marm Kilpatrick, Colin M. Gillin, and Peter Daszak,
and published in the Journal of Applied Ecology. In
summary, the study states, "... We have shown that
the quantitative risk of transmission of [brucellosis]
...is highly variable in space, time and frequency.
We believe that this variability offers great potential
for focused adaptive management efforts that will reduce
the costs of brucellosis management, reduce the need
for hazing of bison, and maintain very low risk for
the cattle industry of Montana." You can learn
more about the study's findings under "Buffalo
in the News" below.
Nevertheless, livestock interests are running rampant
with power in Montana. This has been an incredible week
of war against wildlife, even though the field remains
quiet with no wild buffalo migrating out of Yellowstone
National Park.
Just yesterday, further catering to cattle interests,
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) began killing
elk in the name of brucellosis risk management. Two
cow elk that FWP had previously captured and collared
were captured again yesterday near Gardiner. They had
tested positive for exposure (not infection) to brucellosis,
and were consequently killed after leaving Yellowstone's
boundary. Likely, these elk carried antibodies that
make them resistant to the cattle-borne disease. Ranchers
have been blaming elk for the loss of Montana's brucellosis-free
status, but the tests placing the blame on elk are inconclusive
at best.
Gallatin National Forest Supervisor Mary Erickson announced
approval for the Montana Department of Livestock's (DOL)
request for a permit to set up the Horse Butte buffalo
trap located on Gallatin National Forest lands along
Yellowstone's western boundary. This permit will be
good for the next ten years. It is alarming that the
Forest Service approved the permit, because the public
was largely against renewing it, Horse Butte is cattle-free
at all times of year, and the Interagency Bison Management
Plan agencies recently decided to allow buffalo to have
access to Horse Butte until May. The renewal of this
permit is conflict with local sentiment and residents
who oppose the DOL's bison trap, and it is in contradiction
to the Forest Service's role and responsibility in the
Interagency Bison Management Plan to "provide habitat
for wild bison." Supervisor Erickson's decision
is a slap in the face to every member of the public
who has long advocated allowing wild bison to occupy
the wildlife rich Horse Butte Peninsula.
Buffalo Field Campaign attended the Montana Board of
Livestock meetings in Helena on Monday and Tuesday.
During the meeting, the Board approved Montana's Brucellosis
Action Plan, a document that aims to help regain Montana's
coveted brucellosis-free status. It doesn't amount to
much in the way of ranchers taking responsible action
to prevent brucellosis transmissions between cattle
and wildlife. The plan focuses on seven counties within
close proximity to Yellowstone National Park. The plan
does not require ranchers to vaccinate against brucellosis,
it does not require ranchers to construct game-proof
fencing, it does not require ranchers to test aborted
cattle fetuses. The only requirement is for ranchers
to test breeding-age, reproductively intact cattle 30
days before they are shipped out of any of these seven
counties to other locations. It is a very flexible,
insubstantial plan. Any costs that are incurred, including
testing requirements and fencing, would be paid for
by either state or U.S. tax dollars. The plan is temporary
and will dissolve once Montana regains its brucellosis
class-free status. Ranchers who run cattle operations
in areas where elk are known to concentrate would still
have to undergo some testing requirements.
At the meeting, the Board of Livestock also approved
the DOL's signature on the IBMP's Adaptive Management
Plan. While buffalo advocates realize that these changes
amount to very little on the ground for the buffalo,
the cattle industry acts as if they are bending over
backwards to appease wildlife interests. Board member
Janice French asked for assurance that these changes
were "the end of the road" for wild buffalo
and that they would not be allowed to expand their range
in the future. The state vet, Marty Zaluski, gave her
that assurance, and further communicated to the board
that everything is based on the buffalo's behavior,
and if the buffalo step out of line and trigger management
actions, then the whole thing would be revoked by next
year. We hope the DOL will be handing out maps and behavior
check-lists to wild buffalo so they understand the human
limitations placed upon them. In our public comments,
we reminded the board that this was not the "end
of the road" for wild buffalo, but just the beginning
of gaining them their right to access their native habitat.
And finally, there is a bill floating through the Montana
legislature demanding that an active cattle rancher
have a seat on the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
Commission! Perhaps, then, in all fairness, wildlife
advocates should be appointed to the Montana Board of
Livestock.
Montana's cattle industry assumes an amazing sense of
entitlement to their self-assumed exclusive (mis)use
of the land. If anything gets in the way, it should
be killed. If any sensible responsibilities cost them
an extra dime, then taxpayers should pay for it. Never
forget that we hold the power: every time you or I purchase
food, we have a choice whether or not to support this
industry. Make the choice for wild buffalo and elk.
Roam Free!
~Stephany
------------------------------
* Montana Delegation, Schweitzer, to Ride in
Obama Parade
We have just learned that Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer,
Senator Jon Tester (MT), Senator Max Baucus (MT), and
Representative Denny Rehberg (MT) will ride horses in
President-elect Barak Obama's Inaugural parade this
coming Tuesday. They will ride carrying the myth of
Montana's romantic cowboy on their shoulders. But, these
four horsemen carry much more; they carry the future
of America's last wild buffalo population and they have
shown them no mercy. The celebrated Hollywood cowboy
is an illusion; the reality is barbed wire fences as
far as the eye can see, coupled with dead wolves, coyotes,
buffalo and native grasslands. If Montana's governor
and Congressional delegation are going to participate
in a parade that is to celebrate the election of a candidate
for change then they too should agree to change the
part of America that they govern (Montana) starting
with its despicable and disastrous bison management
policies.
TAKE ACTION!
If you or anyone you know are going to be present at
the Inaugural Parade, please consider creating banners,
posters, or signs to highlight the way Montana is treating
America's last wild buffalo! Montana may celebrate cattle
and the cowboy image as part of their recent heritage,
but the buffalo is North America's heritage, preceding
the cowboy by thousands of years. The whole world will
be watching the Inauguration. It is a perfect opportunity
to draw attention to Montana's actions against wild
buffalo. Tell Montana to stop slaughtering our national
heritage and let wild buffalo roam free!
------------------------------
* Order Your Buffalo Field Campaign Valentines
Today!
Buffalo Field Campaign is once again offering to send
the special people in your life a hand-crafted Valentine.
This year's card (4-1/4" x 5-1/2") features
two bison peacefully grazing on a snowy landscape, watched
over by the Great Buffalo Constellation (embellished
with a shiny heart).
The inside sentiment reads:
" 'Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always
remember, you have within you the strength, the patience,
and the passion to reach for the stars to change the
world.'
~Harriet Tubman"
"A gift has been made in your honor by ____________
to help us change the world. Happy Valentine's Day!"
The card also includes a few words on our mission.
To view an image of the card, for more information,
and to order online, please click
here.
The deadline for ordering cards is Friday, February
6. Please order early! Your card will be mailed to arrive
close to Valentine's Day.
To order through the mail, please send a check or money
order (no cash) to Buffalo Field Campaign/PO Box 957/West
Yellowstone, MT 59758. We must receive your order by
Friday Feb 6 and please remember to include the name(s)
and address(es) of your Valentine's recipient(s) and
indicate how you would like the card(s) signed.
------------------------------
* Buffalo in the News
Please consider responding to these articles with a
Letter to the Editor. Buffalo-friendly
letters that are published win you a FREE BFC t-shirt!
For tips and contact info for key papers, please click
here or email bfc-media@wildrockies.org.
If your letter is published, send us a link or mail
a hard copy to BFC-Media, P.O. Box 957, West Yellowstone,
MT 59758, along with your t-shirt size and mailing address.
Write on for the Buffalo!
1/15/09-
Elk in the crosshairs, Bozeman Daily Chronicle
1/14/09-
Elk removed near Gardiner over disease worries,
KXNet.com North Dakota News
1/14/09-
Bison capture facility reauthorized, Billings
Gazette
1/14/09-
Montana releases plan to regain brucellosis-free status,
Bozeman Daily Chronicle
1/14/09-
Bill would put active rancher on Fish, Wildlife &
Parks Commission, Helena Independent Record
1/13/09-
Study of disease risk suggests ways to avoid slaughter
of Yellowstone bison, Science Daily
1/12/09-
Study: Disease risk posed by roaming bison is low,
Forbes
1/09/09-
Letter: Here's something you can do for the bison,
West Yellowstone News
1/09/09-
Where the buffalo roamed: A buffalo hunter looks hard
at the history of the dwindling herd, Star
Tribune (St. Paul, Minneapolis)
1/09/09-
Bison at the edge, Friends of Animals Magazine
------------------------------
* Last Words
"In Wyoming, it's fair to ask, if brucellosis is
such a serious threat to cattle and the industry, then
why don't ranchers support closing the elk feedgrounds?
After all, the feedgrounds are the source of continuing
brucellosis infection in Greater Yellowstone wildlife
and were the cause of Wyoming losing its brucellosis
free status in 2004. But ranchers absolutely refuse
to countenance feedground closure. Why? Grass and cattle
AUMs. Feedgrounds prevent elk from migrating to traditional
winter range now "reserved" for cattle. Closing
feedgrounds means allowing elk to get to their old winter
range, but that would require a radical revision in
AUM allocation from cattle to elk. Ranchers regard AUMs
as private property, not a revocable privilege, and
actually use AUMs as collateral for loans and other
financial instruments; ergo, ranchers demand that the
feedgrounds remain open to keep elk off the range. Brucellosis
has nothing to do with it.
In Montana, the question is even simpler. Ask the ranchers,
should brucellosis be eradicated from Yellowstone bison,
if bison would then be welcome in Montana. The answer,
of course, is no.
Why? Same reason as in Wyoming. Grass and AUMs.
In short, here's the brucellosis fraud narrative: Ranchers
and the livestock industry are using the alleged brucellosis
problem--control of disease in bison and elk--to cover
the actual goal of eliminating competition for forage
between wild ungulates and cattle. That is, the true
purpose of "disease" control is "bison
and elk" control."
~ Robert Hoskins, GRAVEL BAR
------------------------------
* Kill Tally
AMERICAN BISON ELIMINATED from the last wild population
in the U.S.
2008-2009 Total: 2
2008-2009 Slaughter: 0
2008-2009 Hunt: 1
2008-2009 Quarantine: 0
2008-2009 Shot by Agents: 1
2007-2008 Total: 1,616
Total Since 2000: 3,683*
*includes lethal government action, quarantine, hunts
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