Montana Buffaloes May Be Hazed Again
 Thursday, May 7th, 2009  by Connie T.

Hopefully you're not desensitized by all the bison you saw in the crosshairs on Oregon Trail (pass the laudanum, please!)...because the American buffalo needs your help! On the Horse Butte peninsula by Yellowstone National Park in Montana, wild bison and their offspring are grazing to their heart's content.

But in May of last year, the government herded these animals back into the park using choppers, vehicles, and horses, causing the deaths of newborn calves who were nursing and/or didn't have the strength for the scare all the way to their grounds in Yellowstone.

According to the NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council, the justification for the hazing is the threat of brucellosis transmission from buffaloes to cattle in the wild.

"But the fact is," says NRDC President Frances Beinecke, "There has never been a documented case of brucellosis transmission from buffalo to cattle in the wild. More to the point, there are no cattle at all on Horse Butte, so there is absolutely no reason to haze and endanger Yellowstone's wild buffalo."

Buffalo, young calves, and pregnant cows are at risk if the annual hazing operation is executed. This species has suffered enough in the past, nearly being exterminated completely in the 19th century. Let's give them a break!


Urge Secretary Tom Vilsack to prevent the hazing of the only continuously wild, free-roaming herd in America by sending in this quick petition today!

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