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* Update from the Field
Dear Buffalo Friends,
We are very happy to report that no wild buffalo have
been harassed or killed since we wrote to you last week.
Last Friday BFC met with Yellowstone National Park administrators
and on Tuesday we attended the Interagency Bison Management
Plan open house. At both meetings the news from the
agencies wasn't good. They told us that it will likely
be a very bad winter for our friends the buffalo.
One of the reasons given by the government agencies
is the increased paranoia instilled in Montana's cattle
producers since brucellosis was detected in a Montana
cattle herd last spring. While it is widely known that
wild buffalo were not responsible for this transmission,
and while there is no substantial evidence that the
source wasn't domestic cattle, the cattle industry is
looking to blame Yellowstone wildlife, in particular
the elk and buffalo. The industry fails to take responsibility
for bringing brucellosis to this continent and infecting
native wildlife.
The agencies are also prepared to heavily haze, capture
and slaughter buffalo this year based on Yellowstone's
estimate of 4,700 individuals. Though Yellowstone biologists
have stated time and again that the Park could sustain
well over 5,000 buffalo, the Interagency Bison misManagement
Plan's politically derived population cap for wild buffalo
living in Yellowstone is 3,000. Based on this, the agencies
could capture and kill upwards of 1,700 buffalo. It
is a sad day when a sacred keystone species that once
numbered in the tens of millions and has been reduced
to an island population of fewer than 5,000 is deemed
"overpopulated." It is an even sadder day
when the agencies who are responsible for conserving
and protecting wildlife cow-tow to the economic interests
of the cattle industry and sacrifice native wildlife
in the process.
Yellowstone National Park, the Montana Department of
Livestock and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks have
all made it perfectly clear that once the buffalo hunt
is over on February 15, hazing, capture and slaughter
will begin in earnest. It is very difficult to have
such a warning of impending doom.
We have an opportunity to help stop the harassment and
slaughter before it begins. Please visit the BFC web
site to contact the decision-makers and strongly urge
them to rethink their nefarious plans http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org/actnow/politicians.html.
Please spread the word to save the herd! One positive
thing these agencies could do, at least on the western
boundary of Yellowstone, is to let the wild buffalo
have the Horse Butte Peninsula. Horse Butte is now completely
cattle-free, and there is absolutely no excuse for the
agencies to insist on capturing and killing wild buffalo
for accessing this land. These agencies base decisions
on the assumption that cattle-based economics outweigh
the interests and integrity of wildlife and wild places.
We must raise our voices and let them know they are
wrong!
Roam Free,
~Stephany
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* Lots of BuffaLove and Thanks
Thanks are due to many many people who responded to
my asking for donations in memory of my companion Phil
Morton whose birthday falls on Earth Day. In the April
19, 2007 issue of the update I asked specifically for
donation to enable the campaign to buy new radios. This
week, from the monies raised, we were able to purchase
three new radios which will help us to stay in better
communication with volunteers and staff out in the field.
Also, many thanks to those of you who have been gathering
ESA petition signatures and sending them to us. You
can download the petition here: http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org/science/buffaloesapetition.pdf
When gathering petitions, please make sure that signers
put in an address and zip+4. Any signatures without
an address are considered invalid. Also, if you receive
BFC's annual newsletter, please let us know if you have
had a change of address. The newsletter is set to mail
very soon and we want to make sure it reaches you! If
you would like to be added to our snail mail list, please
send your mailing address to bfc@wildrockies.org.
See be And finally, thanks for the iBook and eMac donations.
Our lives got a lot easier and our productivity went
up with these computers.
Standing with and for the buffalo until they are WILD
& FREE again, sending you all lots of BUFFA-LOVE!
barb abramo
Office Coordinator
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* BFC Newsletters and Notecards Available Soon!
BFC's 2007-2008 newsletter is hot off the press and
will be mailed to our supporters starting next week.
Please let us know if you have had a change of address,
if you are not on our mailing list and would like to
receive a newsletter, or if you want to help spread
the word and save the buffalo herd by placing newsletters
around your community.
Write to Dan at bfc@wildrockies.org.
Buffalo Field Campaign is proud to offer these new and
beautiful notecards featuring the original "Tatanka
2" design by Marian Osher. Notecards cost $15 for
a pack of ten and can be purchased online or through
the mail. These cards are being printed now and should
be available next week.
Click the link to view the sharp new design and to pre-order:
http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org/bisonmerchandise/bisoncards.html
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* Ski, Shop, and Surf to Save the Buffalo and
Support BFC
February Colorado Ski Vacation
Bidding on BFC's second annual Crested Butte Ski Vacation
Fundraiser will begin next week. This year's package
will include a week's lodging in a five star condominium
at the base of the resort, lift tickets, meals at Crested
Butte restaurants, and groceries. 100% of the proceeds
from the auction will go directly to Buffalo Field Campaign.
The Ebay Auction will take place between now and Christmas.
Check the BFC web site next week for more information
or email bfc@wildrockies.org.
A big thanks to long-time BFC supporter Deanna W. for
making this fundraiser possible with the donation of
her condominium.
Support BFC With Online Purchases
If you could give Buffalo Field Campaign up to 26% of
the money you spend every time you shop, at no extra
cost to you, would you do it? Well that's exactly what
happens when you make purchases through iGive.com.
Shop online at one of over 680 retailers such as Patagonia,
Land's End, Apple, iTunes, Sharper Image, and Ebay and
support Buffalo Field Campaign in the process!
It doesn't cost anything to join and once you're a member,
every time you shop through iGive.com, Buffalo Field
Campaign receives a percentage of each purchase.
Click on http://www.iGive.com/BFC
for a new and easy way to help raise money for BFC.
Surf the Web and Save the Buffalo
Use GoodSearch and generate contributions to BFC. Visit
http://www.goodsearch.com/
and start today.
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* Last Words
"I'm a buffalo. I do what I want."
--anonymous
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