Buffalo Field Campaign (BFC)
News from the Field
March 24, 2005
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In this Issue:
* Update from the Field
* Comments Needed on Buffalo Quarantine Proposal
* Buffalo Wars Part II - BFC to Appear on American Indian Movement
Today
* Gimme Five! Ways You Can Help the Last Wild Buffalo
* Last Words
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* Update from the Field
It has been a trying week for buffalo near the west boundary of
Yellowstone National Park and the BFC volunteers working to protect
them. Four buffalo have been killed since last Thursday: three
bulls at the hands of Montana Department of Livestock (DOL) agents and
one who was struck and killed by a truck in the darkness Tuesday night.
Our volunteers, too, have been the victims of violence.
For the past several weeks DOL agents have been baiting buffalo onto
private land adjacent to the park boundary where they operate the Duck
Creek buffalo trap. Shovelling sweet-smelling hay around and
within the trap, the agents have gotten the buffalo used to venturing
between the park and the trap's steel walls for daily meals. The
same group of six bulls has been doing so for days on end. This
routine was suddenly broken on Monday morning when the agents rushed
out and slammed the trap's gate shut with all six buffalo inside
feeding.
Anyone acquainted with this issue knows that bulls can't transmit
brucellosis, but the DOL is not an agency to be deterred by mere
facts. They tested the bulls for brucellosis antibodies and sent
those to slaughter that tested positive. Never mind that there
are no cattle within dozens of miles and that there won't be for three
more months or that there has never, in history, been a single
documented instance of wild buffalo transmitting brucellosis to
livestock. Forget that the test used to determine the buffalo's
fate doesn't detect whether they are actively infected. None of
these facts matter to the agents who bait America's last wild buffalo
out of the world's first national park and slaughter them to protect
imaginary livestock from an unsubstantiated threat.
Of the six buffalo captured Monday, three tested positive for
brucellosis antibodies. Like any adult human who had chicken pox
as a child, these adult buffalo were exposed to brucellosis at some
point in their lives. It is highly unlikely that any of the three
was still infected. Yet they were loaded into a cattle trailer
and shipped to slaughter. The three negative testing buffalo were
held in confinement for three days and two nights, loaded onto a
trailer, released on the Horse Butte Peninsula, and incessantly
chased--again for no reason--for miles by men riding snowmobiles.
But the DOL is not content with the irrational capture, slaughter, and
harassment of six bull buffalo. The agency also stubbornly
insists on removing every last buffalo from every acre of federal
public land outside the park, a practice which its agents zealously
engaged in for the better part of Tuesday and Wednesday. By the
agency's own accounting, it hazed 127 buffalo back to the park from
Horse Butte on Tuesday (view footage at
http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org)
and another 47 on Wednesday. What you'd never learn from the DOL's
figures is that the 47 buffalo hazed Wednesday were some of the very
animals hazed Tuesday. Buffalo know where they want to be and
waste no time getting (or returning) there. Attempting to keep
buffalo within the arbitrary bounds of Yellowstone is like trying to
stop the tide.
Buffalo Field Campaign volunteers were in the field to witness all of
these activities, as we are every day of the year when buffalo are
outside the park. We have been here now through eight winters,
and will remain until the buffalo are safe. Our perseverance has
earned us the overwhelming respect of the local community. We
were commended this week by countless passersby and representatives of
the fire department for our work in helping to warn motorists of the
presence of buffalo in the roadway.
And still there are those who, for some reason, begrudge us or the work
we do. One of our volunteers was assaulted this week and someone
loosened the lug nuts on three of the wheels of one of our patrol
cars. The car was full of volunteers on their way home from
patrol when a wheel started wobbling and making noise.
Fortunately, they had slowed down enough by the time the wheel fell off
and no one was hurt. On Tuesday someone in a blue truck pulled up
to our car patrol at Duck Creek, rolled down the windows, and shot
paintballs at our car.
Our work is to keep the public up-to-date on the buffalo's plight and
informed and involved in decisions affecting the herd. We will
not be deterred by threats or acts of violence.
Some of you have written us to recommend that we take a more positive
approach, that we look more on the bright side of things, even that we
take a moment to celebrate the buffalo's "conservation success" being
celebrated with the reissue of the buffalo nickel. Our job is to
share with the world the truth of what we live through with the
buffalo, not to sugar-coat or paint a gloss over the difficult reality
faced by the buffalo. We will remain true to our mission and keep
you up to date on all actions taken against the buffalo. While
what we report may not always be pretty or easy to bear, it will always
be real.
Please read on for concrete ways in which you can help us help the
buffalo and if you haven't supported our work with a tax-deductible
contribution, please do so today. We couldn't be here without the
support of people like you.
For the Buffalo,
BFC
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* Comments Needed on Buffalo Quarantine Proposal
The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) in
cooperation with USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
(APHIS) issued a notice of intent to produce an Environmental
Assessment (EA) for Phases II and III of a "bison quarantine
feasibility study." The agencies want to create two more
facilities north of Yellowstone National Park to continue their science
experiment and find out if they can manufacture brucellosis free
buffalo out of calves that survive Phase I (approved in January
2005). Phase II is described as the breeding phase where the
surviving buffalo females will be "bred" with some of the surviving
males. Phase III is the calving phase where it will be determined
if the buffalo remain brucellosis free after breeding and
calving. Any surviving buffalo would then be transferred to a
"predetermined release site" and held behind a fence for one more year
as part of a "soft release protocol". If all goes according to
plans, buffalo that survive the quarantine experiment, after four years
of captivity, repeated testing, controlled breeding, vaccination,
supplemental feed, and other tools of domestication would be touted as
wild buffalo restored to their native range. The whole experiment
would be considered by the agencies a grand success of the "North
American Wildlife Conservation Model". Consequently, the truly
wild buffalo that remain in Yellowstone National Park without access to
Montana's public lands would be even more expendable in the agency
perspective and may be subject to an "industrial strength" version of
test, slaughter and quarantine for years to come.
Speak out against this attempt to domesticate wild Yellowstone
buffalo. Let FWP and APHIS know that these buffalo are not
available for their science projects. The solutions to restoring
wild buffalo to their native range are rooted in the restoration of
migratory corridors where buffalo can re-inhabit the ancient lands of
their ancestors at their own time and pace. If Montana Fish,
Wildlife & Parks wants to help restore buffalo, then let them work
to create habitat within the Greater Yellowstone Area for the expanding
wild herd. These buffalo are not domestic cattle.
Quarantine is simply not appropriate or acceptable for the last wild,
genetically pure buffalo in the U.S. Visit our web site at
http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org/legislative/bisonquarantine.html
for more information including the agency's notice of intent and the EA
for Phase I. FWP will be accepting comments on the proposal
until April 15, 2005. Email your comments to
BisonQuarantineEA@mt.gov
or send them to Bison Quarantine EA, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks,
P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620-0701; fax: 406-444-4952. Contact
BFC's Josh Osher with questions:
bfc-advocate@wildrockies.org.
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* Buffalo Wars Part II: BFC to Appear on American Indian Movement Today
The American Indian Movement's San Diego Chapter has been a good friend
to the Buffalo Field Campaign. We appeared on their World Talk
Radio program "American Indian Movement Today" in December 2004 for
"Buffalo Wars Part I", where we debated the Montana Department of
Livestock's spokesperson Karen Cooper. Karen met her match
that day. You can listen to a recording of that particular
program by visiting our web site:
http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org.
Tune in on Wednesday, March 30 for "Buffalo Wars Part II."
Representatives from Buffalo Field Campaign will be back on the air to
talk about the latest battles the Yellowstone buffalo herd is
facing. The show airs at 4:00 Mountain Time. You can
listen in from your computer (you need the latest version of Windows
Media Player). All shows are archived. Tune in by going to
http://www.worldtalkradio.com/show.asp?sid=141
Marty Fire Rider and Joseph Red Bear, co-hosts of AIM Today, are
stellar buffalo advocates, helping to spread the word about the plight
of the last wild buffalo. They provide their listeners (30,000
strong) updates from the field, they are circulating our petition to
list the Yellowstone herd as a "distinct population segment" under the
Endangered Species Act, they have been handing out BFC newsletters at
various powwows and gatherings, they submitted a powerful statement
that BFC read before Montana's House and Senate Agriculture committees
that heard testimony on the buffalo neuter bill, and they continue to
be good friends and a powerful voice for the buffalo.
Joseph and Marty are are vocal warriors who tell the truth about the
domination of the livestock industry and their wanton destruction of
our public lands, and how it effects wild buffalo, wild horses, and
prairie dogs. THANK YOU Joseph and Marty!!
Learn more about AIM's San Diego Chapter and their outstanding radio
program AIM Today:
http://www.aimsandiego.org/
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* Gimme Five! Ways You Can Help Wild Buffalo
It's Spring and that means it's the busiest time for BFC and the
buffalo. Buffalo are on the move, and volunteers, funding, and
action are badly needed. Below are a few simple but utterly
critical things you can do to directly help the buffalo and keep BFC
financially strong and in the field. Other ways you can help can
be found on our web site.
1. SEND US MONEY! Without your generous donations, we would
not be here. We need your help now. It costs us about $40
to keep one volunteer in the field for one week, and we average about
30 volunteers at any given time. All donations are tax deductible
and go directly towards BFC's grassroots efforts to document the
actions taken against the buffalo, and advocate for their lasting
protection. You can make a secure on-line donation at
http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org/pcshop2/bazaar.html.
2. VOLUNTEER WITH BFC! Buffalo are migrating in very large
numbers and it's brining them across the human-drawn line in the sand,
into the wicked arms of danger. Please consider coming to West
Yellowstone and spend time in the field with the buffalo. We need
field volunteers from now until the beginning of June. Volunteers
are provided with room and board. All that we ask is that you
come to one of the most beautiful places in the world, and stand in
defense of the last wild buffalo. Contact Stuart, BFC Volunteer
Coordinator, at
buffalo@wildrockies.org or
406-646-0070.
3. SAVE THE HERD - SPREAD THE WORD! Earth Day celebrations and
gatherings, pow wows and festivals are being organized all over the
country. You can help the last wild buffalo by setting up an
information table or handing out BFC's newsletters at events in and
around your community. BFC will send you the
materials. Please contact Stephany at
bfc-media@wildrockies.org
if you are able to spread the word about saving this special herd!
*Anyone out there near Albuquerque, New Mexico? We've just
learned about a huge pow wow, the Gathering of Nations, that would be
an awesome place to talk with people about the Yellowstone
buffalo. If you have the time, we've got the materials.
Gathering of Nations:
http://www.gatheringofnations.com/
4. BOYCOTT THE LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY: All of the wild buffalo
harassment and slaughter and the degradation of their native range is
due to the greed of the livestock industry. BFC will conduct a
Week of Action that targets the livestock industry and their products.
We'll provide information about the history of the cowboy mafia,
impacts of cattle ranching, the link between grocery store purchases
and what's happening to the buffalo, alternative foods, suggested
reading, and much more. We are just about to set the dates, so
stay tuned, but don't wait for us; you can begin your Boycott of the
livestock industry's products today! Ideas and suggestions,
including web site, books, recipes, etc. should be sent to Stephany at
bfc-media@wildrockies.org.
5. MAKE CHANGE WITH BUFFALO NICKELS: Give Montana's
governor your five cents on the buffalo issue! If you are the
proud carrier of any buffalo nickels, please consider sending them to
Governor Brian Schweitzer, and urge him to purchase habitat in Montana
for our last wild buffalo. More information can be found at
http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org/actnow/actionalerts.html.
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* Last Words
"I've heard a lot of talk about bison are the problem in this
country. I don't feel like the bison or the elk or any of these
other animals are the problem. I feel like the problem in this
country is the overpopulation of cattle and domesticated animals, what
we consider exotic animals. ... And we see overpopulation of cattle in
this world. We're seeing rain forests cut down in this world to
accommodate cattle, you know, and everything is centered around
accommodating all these domesticated animals, and all the wild animals
and all the indigenous species are being squeezed out. And, you
know, that upsets me; that upsets my people also. And, you know,
they're the cause, all these domesticated animals. ... And you know, as
far as bison and other wild animals being the problem, I don't see that
as the problem. I see the introduction of cattle, domesticated
animals, sheep, I see that as the problem, and it just keeps growing.
They just keep multiplying and multiplying."
~ Danny Sam, Picuris Pueblo, New Mexico, in a tribal consultation
meeting with Yellowstone National Park, June 5, 2003.
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