And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Date: Fri, 12 Mar 1999 11:36:30 -0700 To: "Wild Rockies Alerts" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> From: Wild Rockies InfoNet <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: DOL Lures 4 Buffalo into Trap; Volunteers Needed Department of Livestock Lures 4 Buffalo into Trap; Volunteers Needed For Immediate Release: March 12, 1999. Media Contact: Mike Mease. (406) 646-0070. West Yellowstone, MT--The Montana Department of Livestock (DOL) captured 3 buffalo calves and a cow yesterday at the Duck Creek capture facility near West Yellowstone, Montana. The buffalo have been grazing along the park boundary for the past week. DOL agents lured them into the trap with a trail of fresh hay leading from Duck Creek, a natural migration corridor to lower elevation critical winter habitat outside the Park. Buffalo Field Campaign volunteers have successfully prevented buffalo leaving the Park from entering the trap all winter. In the past week, a herd of more than seventy buffalo-- mostly cows and their calves--have gathered on the park boundary near the DOL capture facility. Volunteers were unable to keep the 4 buffalo from being lured by the hay into the trap. The DOL will blood-test the buffalo to determine which to send to slaughter and which to release. The blood test used in the field by the DOL only determines if a buffalo is positive or negative for exposure to brucellosis, not for the disease itself. Only tissue culture tests determine if an animal is actually infected. Culture tests, conducted by the US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) following slaughter, determined that 13 of the first 15 buffalo killed this year were "culture negative", i.e. did not have brucellosis. Both the animals that tested positive were bulls, defined by APHIS as low risk for brucellosis transmission. Of the buffalo slaughtered this winter 87% were low risk bulls. Scientific studies have shown that the only way brucellosis can be transmitted to cattle is through the ingestion of an aborted buffalo fetus or after-birth. With no cows on these public lands until June, it would be impossible for such a transmission to occur. Brucellosis dies within four hours of exposure to sunlight. Calves, non-pregnant cows, and bulls therefore are all considered "low risk" for brucellosis transmission by APHIS, the federal agency responsible for granting a state its "brucellosis free" status. APHIS has stated that the presence of low risk buffalo will not jeopardize Montana's status. Despite these facts, the state of Montana continues, needlessly, to slaughter all exposed animals. "The DOL is making a mockery of science and needlessly killing off America's last wild buffalo herd." said Dan Brister, Buffalo Field Campaign spokesperson, "We will be here until this sensless slaughter stops." Contact Mike Mease, 406-646-0070 for further information. Videos and Stills available on request. **************** Volunteers needed!! The Buffalo Field Campaign still has several months to go. We need to have more folks to come to West Yellowstone to help out with the campaign. Many folks have left the camp recently to rest/recharge and to go back to work, or meet other obligations. If you can help out, please call the Buffalo Field Campaign office!! ********************* Buffalo Field Campaign (formerly Buffalo Nations) PO Box 957 West Yellowstone, MT 59758 406-646-0070 phone 406-646-0071 fax [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.wildrockies.org/buffalo ************************************************************************ List-Subscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> List-Unsubscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> News Submissions or Problems: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> This list is a public service provided by WIN: http://www.wildrockies.org &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) Unenh onhwa' Awayaton http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
