MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF LIVESTOCK PLANS 'MILITARY STYLE' OPERATION TO DRIVE BUFFALO BACK INTO YELLOWSTONE PARK Sunday, April 26, 1998 WEST YELLOWSTONE (MT) -- The Montana Department of Livestock (DOL) has announced an aggressive hazing operation beginning this week to clear buffalo from cattle grazing allotments on public lands. The DOL plans to deploy helicopters, all terrain vehicles and 4X4s to drive buffalo back into Yellowstone National Park. An estimated 300 buffalo including pregnant females and young calves, will be targeted by the DOL's plans. "DOL's military style operation puts pregnant females and new calves in danger, and could likely stampede the buffalo causing injuries and deaths," says Michael Mease of Buffalo Nations. "The impacts of DOL's operations would be devastating not only to the Madison buffalo herd, but also to listed species including bald eagles, sand hill cranes and trumpeter swans who are nesting in the area. It's also elk calving season. At the very least, an Environmental Assessment should be carried out before any action is taken by the DOL," says Mike Bowersox Buffalo Nations volunteer. In a letter last week, Larry Petersen, head of the DOL, requested that Buffalo Nations and other members of the concerned public not interfere with "on-going bison migrations." Nearly 200 volunteers from Buffalo Nations have safeguarded buffalo throughout the Greater Yellowstone region every day for the past 6 months. Buffalo Nations' Rosalie Little Thunder says the request from Mr. Petersen feels like a forewarning of Buffalo Nations being blamed for any buffalo slaughter. "The buffalo are hostage. Interfere with the aggressive hazing and they'll be shot is the message I'm receiving," she said. Last year, the DOL slaughtered over 1,100 buffalo. This year the DOL has killed 11 buffalo from the Madison herd. DOL imposed an April 15th deadline for buffalo to return to the Park. The cattle grazing allotments open on June 15th. "We'll be there," says Michael Mease. "If they start shooting, we are willing to be the human shield. Our commitment to defending the buffalo hasn't changed". --30-- Buffalo Nations PO Box 957 West Yellowstone, MT 59758 406-646-0070 phone 406-646-0071 fax mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Please check out http://www.wildrockies.org/buffalo for updates from the only group working every day in the Park: Buffalo Nations and find out what you can do http://www.wildrockies.org/bison Please pass these URL's on
