This week, Buffalo Field Campaign, Western Watersheds Project, and Friends of Animals filed a motion for summary judgement to overturn the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s finding that our petition to list the Yellowstone buffalo herds as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act did not present substantial information to list these herds as a Distinct Population Segment.

 

2017 06 15 03 001 Update Thia Martin 1 800
 (CREDIT Thia Martin)


This week, Buffalo Field Campaign, Western Watersheds Project, and Friends of Animals filed a motion for summary judgement to overturn the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s finding that our petition to list the Yellowstone buffalo herds as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act did not present substantial information to list these herds as a Distinct Population Segment.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service wrongfully required proof that extinction would be certain, a standard the Endangered Species Act does not require at the 90-day stage. At this stage the evidence need only show that buffalo “may warrant listing,” which our petition certainly shows. The USFWS failed to consider the best available science that shows government slaughter and hunting threaten the buffalo and that the extinction of the migratory species in 85% of their original range warrants listing. A decision is likely in 2018.

Listing the Yellowstone buffalo as an endangered species is a long-term commitment made by Buffalo Field Campaign. Your generous donations support our legal action and give us hope that the Yellowstone buffalo will win the protection they are entitled to under the Endangered Species Act.

Many thanks to BFC’s Darrell Geist, Western Watersheds Project, and Friends of Animals for their dedication and incredible support.

 

2017 06 15 03 002 Update Thia Martin 2 800

(CREDIT Thia Martin)