Copyright © 2002 NLThomas
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Since the last writing four wild buffalo and five activists who performed civil disobedience to protect them have been arrested and confined. The buffalo, one calf, two yearlings and a mature female, were captured on Wednesday afternoon following a blockade of Forest Service Road 610, which accesses the Horse Butte bison trap.

Activists Blockade Access to Horse Butte Bison Capture Facility

West Yellowstone, MT - At 9:30 this morning, as state and federal officials were preparing to capture bison, a man identifying himself as "Coyote" blocked Forest Service road 610 to the Horse Butte bison capture facility. The man effectively closed the gate at the head of the road by locking his arms into two 55-gallon barrels on either side of the gate. A large banner stating, "Bison Belong on National Forests" was unfurled near the blockade.

Montana Department of Livestock, U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks agents were in the area preparing to haze and capture bison at the Horse Butte trap. At least sixteen law enforcement officers from the agencies were on site at the blockade. Officers closed the area to the public and the press and prohibited anyone from viewing the blockade or from coming within twenty feet of the 610 road.

BFC spokesperson Peter Leusch said of the blockade, "National Forest lands surrounding Yellowstone were originally set aside as wildlife habitat. The Horse Butte peninsula is perfect winter range for bison, and they should be able to use it."

The Horse Butte peninsula is also important winter habitat for many other species including elk, moose, bald eagles, wolves, and trumpeter swans. Bison management activities are potentially life threatening to wildlife as they disturb this habitat during the deadliest time of the year.

According to Leusch, "Every bison management operation not only puts the bison in jeopardy, but kills the other wildlife as well. The agencies are squandering our tax dollars, terrorizing our wildlife and placing the entire Yellowstone ecosystem at risk."

As the blockade was being cleared and Coyote arrested, agents on snowmobiles began a hazing operation along the Madison River. The agents attempted to haze six bison that were grazing along the river about a mile outside of Yellowstone over 5 miles to the capture facility at Horse Butte. Agents ran snowmobiles through tributaries and side channels of the river as the bison attempted to elude them during the operation, which lasted for several hours. At one point a snowmobile became submerged in the main channel of the Madison, while attempting to chase the bison that were fleeing south across the river.

Today's operation violated the Gallatin Forest Plan by using snowmobiles off designated trails along the Madison River. According to the Forest Plan's provisions for protecting fish and game, "Motorized vehicle use will not be permitted during the period December 1 through May 1, except on designated routes" (Forest Plan, Gallatin National Forest, III-44). BFC volunteers have repeatedly videotaped such violations.

Four Women Protest Bison Slaughter in Helena, Montana

Helena, MT - Four women who locked themselves together in the office of Montana Department of Livestock (DOL) executive director Marc Bridges in a protest against the slaughter of wild buffalo were arrested Monday.

Abbi Dunlap, Emily Kodama, Julia Piaskowski and Jennifer Schneider called for a moratorium on the slaughter of the last wild buffalo. They demanded that the DOL end their role in buffalo management because of their failure to uphold basic environmental protection standards.

"The DOL has consistently shown that they will not obey the rules they helped to write and they refuse to be honest with the public about their actions. I am fed up," wrote Kodama in a statement. "These are the last wild buffalo in America and if the government won't do its duty to protect the buffalo, then I believe we have a moral obligation to act on their behalf."

To keep Montana cattle free of the abortive disease brucellosis, which some bison may carry, the DOL hazes them if they leave Yellowstone National Park. The hazing is allowed under the Interim Bison Management Plan agreed to by state and federal agencies.

Bison that will not return to the park are captured and tested for the antibodies of brucellosis, and some are slaughtered. This winter, 26 bison have been killed. Nineteen of these were bulls, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture says pose a low risk of disease transmission.

Critics of bison hazing note that there is no evidence of the transmission of brucellosis from bison to cattle under natural conditions. Cattle are not in the area during the winter and spring months, the peak times when bison migrate out of Yellowstone in search of food.

Last month, the DOL captured and slaughtered the first pregnant bison of the year. A group of nine yearlings and pregnant females was captured and five were killed. The activists say no attempt was made to move them back into the park.

"The DOL is clearly demonstrating its intention to slaughter as many buffalo as it can. This causes great concern as the spring months are approaching and major migration of the mixed herds is imminent," said Schneider.

"I have tried writing and talking with the DOL about the bison/brucellosis issue. They don't care what I have to say," Piaskowski explained. "They have lied to me and disregarded my concerns. All I have left is my body and my convictions and I feel deeply compelled to take nonviolent action to prevent the bison slaughter. My hope is that by locking my body in the DOL's headquarters, they can no longer ignore their shameful role in slaughtering bison."