[caption id="attachment_42519" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Image Source (Dan Anderson)"][/caption]
In the early 1800s more than 65 million bison roamed North America, now their numbers have been reduced to approximately 3900. Bison in the U.S. are mostly confined within the perimeter of Yellowstone National Park but heavy snows in recent years have led them to roam to lower elevations where it is easier to forage for vegetation. Montana farmers fear roaming bison could spread brucellosis, a disease which causes abortion or premature calving, to their livestock though there have been no documented cases of bison to cattle transmission. In response to this concern the State of Montana has developed a bison management plan. Bison entering Montana along Yellowstone's north boundary would be shot or shipped to slaughter and all bison entering Montana through the park's west boundary would be tested for brucellosis. Any bison testing positive for the disease would be shot or shipped to slaughter. Currently 400 animals are being held in government-operated pens near Gardiner, Montana.
The Defenders of Wildlife organization argues that such a lethal approach is unnecessary and has started an online petition to save the Yellowstone bison.
http://green-buzz.net/environment/the-last-breathtaking-wild-bison-herd-in-north-america/
In the early 1800s more than 65 million bison roamed North America, now their numbers have been reduced to approximately 3900. Bison in the U.S. are mostly confined within the perimeter of Yellowstone National Park but heavy snows in recent years have led them to roam to lower elevations where it is easier to forage for vegetation. Montana farmers fear roaming bison could spread brucellosis, a disease which causes abortion or premature calving, to their livestock though there have been no documented cases of bison to cattle transmission. In response to this concern the State of Montana has developed a bison management plan. Bison entering Montana along Yellowstone's north boundary would be shot or shipped to slaughter and all bison entering Montana through the park's west boundary would be tested for brucellosis. Any bison testing positive for the disease would be shot or shipped to slaughter. Currently 400 animals are being held in government-operated pens near Gardiner, Montana.
The Defenders of Wildlife organization argues that such a lethal approach is unnecessary and has started an online petition to save the Yellowstone bison.
http://green-buzz.net/environment/the-last-breathtaking-wild-bison-herd-in-north-america/
Think not
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_Buffalo_National_Park
http://www.spectacularnwt.com/wheretoexplore/woodbuffalo
But in there they have hundreds of bison, moose, antelope, deer, foxes, and elk. I saw 100x more wildlife while parked on the shoulder of the road in this little town than I saw in Yellowstone.
The American Bison is no longer endangered, now numbering nearly half a million individuals with herds growing each year. According to the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, bison are raised in all 50 United States and in Canada.
We need more global warming!
John Stossel makes the case for eating tigers here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSPkVoGx5c4
"(Montana Governor Brian) Schweitzer last week blocked plans to ship hundreds of the animals to slaughter — an abrupt reversal of the state's prior endorsement of the practice. The Democratic governor said he was sending a message to federal officials that their approach on bison has failed."
This is already being discussed from a governmental standpoint in Montana. Just so you know.
The full article about the new superintendent of YNP -
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming/article_53680c18-3f9a-11e0-89c2-001cc4c002e0.html