March 6, 2008...2:30 pm
Criticism Grows as Bison Slaughter Continues
Criticism of Montana’s capture and slaughter program for bison leaving Yellowstone National Park is growing as the death toll mounts. So far this winter, more than 700 bison have been captured as they sought food at lower elevations outside Yellowstone’s boundary.
State livestock officials captured 51 more bison Tuesday with plans to ship them to slaughter in coming days as part of an aggressive disease control program.
The bison were captured under a state-federal agreement meant to guard against the spread of brucellosis. That’s a disease carried by some bison that livestock producers fear could infect their cattle.
Brucellosis can cause pregnant cows to abort their calves. It has been eradicated from livestock in the United States but persists in wildlife in and around Yellowstone, although there has never been a documented case of bison-to-cattle transfer in the wild.
On Monday, the environmental law firm Earthjustice sent a letter asking state and federal officials to stop capturing bison on land where cattle grazing no longer occurs.”There is no longer any … justification for persisting with the intensive harassment and killing of bison on these cattle-free lands,” attorney Timothy Preso wrote in the letter. It was sent on behalf of bison advocates and Yellowstone-area landowners opposed to the practice.
Montana Department of Livestock spokesman Steve Meritt said his agency was reviewing the letter and had no immediate comment.
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