Boulder residents debate Ted Turner's buffalo

They say not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but they never said what to do about a gift buffalo. Opinions on whether the city of Boulder should accept a buffalo herd ranged Wednesday night from those who said the animals would fit in well on the plains along U.S. 36 to those who felt the move would turn the city's open space into a "zoo." Ted Turner, founder of CNN, announced on an October visit to his bison-serving restaurant -- Ted's Montana Grill -- that he wanted to donate a buffalo herd to the city for viewing along U.S. 36 between Davidson Mesa and Boulder. Before accepting the gift, the Boulder City Council in December approved a study to determine the costs of caring for the herd of American buffalo. On Wednesday, Open Space and Mountain Parks staff members presented the initial findings of that study at an Open Space Board of Trustees meeting. Officials said the land would only be able to support 10 to 12 of the buffalo, with likely only one male, as opposed to the 25 animals Turner proposed. Edie Stevens, of Friends of Boulder Open Space, said the group is concerned that the extensive fencing needed to keep the herd contained would rob the native wildlife as well as Boulder residents of the chance to enjoy the open space...more