Friday, January 30, 2009

Advocates want bison managed as wild animals

The Casper Star-Tribune reports:

A coalition of bison advocates and owners of property near Yellowstone National Park said Thursday that bison wandering out of Yellowstone should be managed by the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, rather than by livestock interests. A long line of people asked a legislative committee to support a bill dubbed the Wild Bison Recovery and Conservation Act. Primarily, the measure would make the wildlife agency rather than the Montana Department of Livestock responsible for managing bison that wander out of Yellowstone. Opponents, mainly ranchers, said the proposal puts them at risk. The bill's sponsor said management of bison has been bungled by the Department of Livestock, which answers to a board run by ranchers. Rep. Mike Phillips of Bozeman said that after two decades, policies of the livestock agency have failed to prevent transmission of brucellosis, a disease found in some Yellowstone wildlife, to domestic animals. He said the Department of Livestock has slaughtered bison even if they were not really a threat. Interests of ranchers have trumped the interests of hunters and other landowners, said Phillips, a Democrat.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

A new and better bacterin for cattle would stop this craziness. The reason there is not a better vaccine ( a bacterin) is that the government will allow it to be made in only a couple of labs and there is no incentive to make a more effective one. For example a killed adjuvanted product would elicit a better and longer lasting vaccine rather than the live, unadjuvanted one we have. But no one seems to care. Wyoming has spent 19 million on this program with no results..