| Yellowstone Bison Slaughter
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| News
Article 4/22/05 |
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| Feds
could alter brucellosis policy
By Brodie Farquhar, Jackson Hole Star Tribune
4/22/05 |
LANDER
-- Wyoming agriculture officials say they've been told
the U.S. Interior Department is preparing to take a more
aggressive approach to eradicating brucellosis in elk
and bison herds, thereby eliminating the last reservoir
of the disease in the nation.
While federal officials would not say whether such a change
is in the works, conservation groups are alarmed that
such a move could mean a massive test-and-slaughter program
in the greater Yellowstone area and treatment of wildlife
as livestock.
The possible policy shift was signaled this week by a
Wyoming Stock Growers Association newsletter, which discussed
a revised memorandum of understanding between the Interior
and Agriculture departments regarding eradication of brucellosis
in the greater Yellowstone area.
Jim Magagna, executive director of the stock growers,
said he'd learned of a new agreement from Assistant Interior
Secretary Judge Craig Manson during a recent trip to the
nation's capital.
A Wednesday press release from the stock growers said
a delegation from the association "received the welcome
news that Interior and (the U.S. Department of Agriculture's
Animal Plant Health Inspection Service) have entered into
a Memorandum of Understanding to eradicate brucellosis
in the Greater Yellowstone Area. This action represents
a major policy change by the Department of Interior."
Interior and Agriculture department spokesmen said the
language for the memorandum is being written and is not
ready for release.
Since 1967, Interior's National Park Service has had a
hands-off natural regulation approach to wildlife management.
Two years ago, Interior's brucellosis policy stated: "The
Departments of the Interior and Agriculture have no intention
to utilize a broad scale program of test and slaughter
of wildlife in the GYA as a means to eliminate brucellosis."
"In the past, there has been a disconnect between
APHIS and Interior, where APHIS has wanted to eradicate
the disease and Interior has dragged its feet," Magagna
said.
Manson said the two federal departments are now focused
on eradication of the disease, according to Magagna.
Brucellosis is a contagious disease caused by bacteria
called brucella abortus. This disease infects domestic
animals, wildlife and humans worldwide. In the United
States, the primary livestock carriers of the disease
are cattle. The only wildlife populations known to be
infected with brucellosis in the United States are the
elk and bison in the greater Yellowstone area.
New agreement
According to Tom Linfield, Montana state veterinarian
and chairman of the Greater Yellowstone Interagency Brucellosis
Committee, a revision of a long-standing memorandum of
understanding between the federal departments is under
way.
He said the revised document will call for development
of brucellosis management plans for each bison and elk
herd unit. Linfield said the revision does not mandate
a test-and-slaughter program, but acknowledged that "test
and slaughter could be a component of individual plans."
Since 1985, Montana has been conducting a test-and-slaughter
program on bison that leave Yellowstone National Park
and enter Montana. Bison that test positive for brucellosis
are killed.
The Wyoming Legislature agreed this year to fund a five-year
pilot project designed to reduce the presence of the disease
within the Pinedale elk herd. It involves construction
of an 8-foot-tall, five-mile-long fence and a large corral
in which elk can be herded, sorted and tested for the
presence of brucellosis antibodies in blood samples. Infected
younger elk cows would then be removed or slaughtered
in an effort to reduce the presence of the disease within
the herd.
National Elk Refuge Manager Barry Reiswig, who has criticized
the Wyoming elk plan, said he didn't believe anything
terribly dramatic would result from the revised memorandum.
"I think APHIS is just trying to move the process
along," he said.
Others are more concerned.
Josh Osher, spokesman for the Buffalo Field Campaign,
said the puzzle pieces are falling into place for more
test-and-slaughter programs, which his group opposes.
He noted that APHIS and the Wyoming Stock Growers have
long pushed for a more aggressive approach to eradication
of brucellosis.
In addition, Osher said, the Montana Legislature is on
record with a measure calling upon APHIS to develop a
brucellosis eradication plan and for APHIS to be the lead
agency in that task n not the National Park Service.
"The time frame is critical," said Steve Torbit,
senior scientist for the National Wildlife Federation
in Boulder, Colo. "If the memorandum of understanding
sets a target date of 2010 or 2020 for eradication of
brucellosis, there's no way they can accomplish that without
a massive test-and-slaughter program. They'll face massive
protest from the public."
Torbit also wondered if the memorandum will spell out
which agency is in charge regarding brucellosis within
Yellowstone National Park n the National Park Service
or APHIS. Up until now, Torbit said, the Park Service
has successfully defended its right to manage all resources
within Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks.
To take effect, a revised memorandum will require the
signatures of the department secretaries and the governors
of Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. The Greater Yellowstone
Interagency Brucellosis Committee meets next in Jackson
on May 24-25.
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