TO:
Dirk Kempthorne, Secretary, U.S. Department of the Interior
Mary Bomar, Director, U.S. National Park Service
Suzanne Lewis, Superintendent, Yellowstone National Park
Governor Brian D. Schweitzer
I support the emergency rule petition to stop the U.S. National
Park Service from slaughtering wild bison inside Yellowstone
National Park, and request that you live up to your responsibility
to protect our shared natural heritage by taking urgent measures
to conserve America's last wild bison herd in its native habitat.
To ensure bison's long-term survival and health, a minimum
of 2,000 bison for each distinct bison population is needed.
That number would ensure that genetic diversity is conserved
- allowing bison to naturally evolve and adapt to a changing
environment, and retain important survival behaviors like
natural migration and selection.
I strongly urge you to spend taxpayer money that you are now
spending to slaughter wild bison - to protect habitat and
migration corridors in the Yellowstone ecosystem that will
benefit wild bison in perpetuity.
SIGN THE PETITION
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WHY SHOULD I CONTACT THE PEOPLE
IN CHARGE?
As of April 16, 2008, Yellowstone National Park has trapped
over 1,600 wild bison migrating to winter range in the Gardiner
Basin, and sent 1,276 bison to slaughterhouses.
Hundreds more bison are trapped inside pens at Stephens
Creek operated by the U.S. National Park Service. 7 wild
bison died or were killed as a result of injuries suffered
in captivity at Stephens Creek. 6 wild bison were shot by
livestock inspectors for migrating to Yankee Jim Canyon
just beyond the park borders.
112 wild bison have been separated from their mothers and
family groups and sent to a quarantine pen near Corwin Springs,
Montana operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The Montana Department of Livestock has trapped 146 wild
bison on Horse Butte on Gallatin National Forest lands,
and at Duck Creek on private lands, and shipped them to
slaughterhouses.
Another 166 wild bison were killed by hunters.
By the Park Service's own estimate, two-thirds of Yellowstone's
bison herd have been slaughtered or perished in the winter
kill this season.
The cost of this wanton slaughter of America's last wild
bison herd is all paid for by you, the American taxpayer,
averaging $3,000,000 a year - now eight years into a fifteen
year "plan".
Since the bison "plan" went into effect in 2000,
over 3,500 wild bison have been slaughtered or removed from
America's last wild bison herd.
Had enough?
CONTACT THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE!
Dirk Kempthorne, Secretary
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20240
(202) 208-7351 phone
(202) 208-1481 fax
exsec@ios.doi.gov
Mary Bomar, Director
National Park Service
1849 C Street, NW Room 3312
Washington, DC 20240
(202) 208-4621 phone
(202) 208-7889 fax
Mary_Bomar@nps.gov
Suzanne Lewis, Superintendent
Yellowstone National Park
P.O. Box 168
Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190-0168
(307) 344-2002 phone
(307) 344-2014 fax
Yell_Superintendent@nps.gov
Governor Brian D. Schweitzer
Office of the Governor
Montana State Capitol Building
P.O. Box 200801
Helena, MT 59620-0801
(406) 444-3111 phone
(406) 444-5529 fax
governor@mt.gov
CONTACT CONGRESS!
Ask the U.S. Congress to re-direct taxpayer money to buy
habitat for wild bison to roam where private cattle now
graze. Save the wild bison's native habitat in Yellowstone!
Find your Representative: http://www.house.gov/
Find your Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
These committee chairs have jurisdiction over Yellowstone
National Park:
Senator Jeff Bingaman
Senator Pete V. Domenici
Energy and Natural Resources Committee Office
304 Dirksen Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-4971 phone
(202) 224-6163 fax
http://energy.senate.gov/public/
Representative Nick J. Rahall, II
Chairman, House Natural Resources committee
1324 Longworth Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-6065 phone
(202) 225-1931 fax
http://www.rahall.house.gov/
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