| Yellowstone Bison Slaughter
|
| News
Article 4/03/08 |
 |
| |
|
|
|
Federal
report faults bison slaughter
Bozeman Daily Chronicle
4/03/08 |
More
than 1,400 park bison have been removed or killed
since February, under a federal-state agreement meant
to prevent the spread of brucellosis to cattle surrounding
the park.
BILLINGS (AP) - A government report released Wednesday
faulted state and federal bureaucracies for failing to
stop the slaughter of bison leaving Yellowstone National
Park - even as the number of animals killed this year
set a new record.
More than 1,400 park bison have
been removed or killed since February, under a federal-state
agreement meant to prevent the spread of a livestock disease
to cattle ranches surrounding the park.
The bison are captured as they
migrate to lower elevations outside Yellowstone in
search of food.
The report, by the Government Accountability
Office, sharply criticized federal and state agencies
for failing to expand the area where bison can freely
roam outside the park, as called for in the 2000 agreement.
That lack of progress occurred despite
almost $16 million spent on bison management since
2002, according to the report.
Another $13 million was spent on land
and conservation easements just outside the park in an
area where bison often attempt to migrate. But part
of that deal was never completed and the land remains
off limit to bison.
The GAO report was requested by House
Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall, D-WV,
and Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-NY. The congressmen released
a copy of the report Wednesday.
"It's been clear for some time
now that the current (bison management plan) is not
working," Rahall said in a statement. "Both
federal and state agencies could and should do much, much
more to protect these magnificent animals while still
safeguarding the cattle industry."
The slaughter program's impact on the
park's bison population has been dramatic. This year's
slaughter has driven the population down more than a third,
from 4,700 animals last summer to an estimated 3,000 in
a count released last week.
Since the 2000 agreement was signed,
more than 3,200 bison have been killed.
However, the GAO report said the program
had succeeded on at least one count - keeping bison separate
from cattle to prevent the transmission of brucellosis.
The disease can cause pregnant animals to abort their
young, and a widespread outbreak in Montana could cost
the livestock industry tens of millions of dollars in
lost sales and decreased cattle prices, according to the
report.
Top
of Page |
|
|
|
|
|
|
