TELL YELLOWSTONE TO PROTECT WILD BUFFALO!

RESPECT, PROTECT & RESTORE AMERICA'S LAST WILD BUFFALO!

While Yellowstone National Park has made the right move to release, rather than slaughter, over 700 wild bison captured in 2011, these bison should never have been trapped in the first place. Yellowstone promised to release all of the buffalo they captured in 2011, but without public notice or involvement, they secretly surrendred 30 wild young buffalo to USDA-APHIS for experimental purposes. Yellowstone is failing in its mission to protect wild bison unimpaired by participating in the failed Interagency Bison Management Plan which caters to Montana's livestock interests and compromise the lives or wild integrity of America's last wild buffalo population. Yellowstone has been responsible for the senseless deaths of thousands of wild American buffalo, and is an active participant in bison harassment and harm. Hazing activities also severely impact other wildlife species, such as protected grizzly bears and Yellowstone has stated that where bears are active hazing operations would not commence, yet actions by the Park contradict this commitment. Congress has taken action and appealed to Yellowstone to get back to their mission to protect wild bison and enlist the wisdom of Native Americans, yet the Park Service has failed to respond to this request. Please urge Yellowstone to anser Congress, pull out of the failed Interagency Bison Management Plan, and take seriously their responsibility to protect wild buffalo, not Montana's livestock interests.

To encourage right action, please also thank Yellowstone for releasing wild buffalo, and also for not allowing the MT Department of Livestock to haze buffalo into Yellowstone while their habitat is under snow and deep water. Using the suggested sample letter below, please express your distaste for Yellowstone's continued maltreatment of wild buffalo. If you have been to Yellowstone, or have always dreamed of going there, you may want to share your experiences and elaborate on what Yellowstone and the buffalo mean to you.

Welcome to Yellowstone: Here's a view from inside the two prisons - Stephens Creek and Corwin Springs - where wild buffalo have been trapped, tortured, confined and fed. Nearly 150 wild buffalo calves were born inside these prisons.

Please edit the sample letter, putting things into your own words, as decision-makers do not pay attention to form letters.

Alternatively, you may also call Superintendent Wenk at 307-344-2003 or email him at yell_superintendent@nps.gov

MORE INFORMATION:

Grizzly Bear Lawsuit: Read the Alliance for the Wild Rockies lawsuit to protect grizzly bears from government hazing operations found on BFC's home page.

Letter from Congress: Read the letter Members of Congress sent to the National Park Service, urging them to get back to their mission and protect the wild buffalo of Yellowstone. Go to BFC's home page and scroll down to "Members of Congress Ask Park Service to End Bison Hazing, Capture and Slaughter"

Subject:

Your Letter:

Thank you for agreeing NOT to slaughter any of America's buffalo!  I am so glad that the Park Service is finally releasing these trapped buffalo, I look forward to all the buffalo being set free, though they never should have been captured in the first place.

However, I am very concerned and upset to learn that at least thirty young buffalo - yearlings and two-year olds - will not be released from Corwin Springs, but will be handed over to USDA-APHIS for unknown experimental purposes.  This is outrageous!  Yellowstone promised numerous times that all wild buffalo would be released, and there was no notice to the public, nor any public input sought on this latest move to harm America's last wild buffalo.  Not a word was spoken about this at the recent Interagency Bison Management Plan meetings, and Yellowstone again mislead the public into believing that *all* captured wild buffalo would be released.

I demand a response to these actions, and I implore you to release these buffalo immediately.

I write today also about grizzly bears and hazing operations that are pending on the western portion of Yellowstone National Park and Gallatin National Forest:  You must enforce the Park Service’s promise to the public that “Currently, hazing operations would cease if there was evidence of grizzlies being active in the area.”  IBMP EIS page 565.  There are grizzly bears all over the Park right now, and Gallatin National Forest lands contiguous to Yellowstone, so Yellowstone cannot allow the  DOL to start hazing operations there.  I am thankful that the Park Service has told the DOL that hazing should not be conducted in the Park now (I would contend that it never should) and I would urge you to stay strong, stay the course, and protect both bison and grizzly bears from hazing operations!  I would especially ask that you forbid the Montana Department of Livestock from using its terrifying helicopter anywhere inside Yellowstone, and especially in areas where bears are present (which is most of the western boundary lands).

As Yellowstone's Superintendent, you have received a great honor and responsibility.  During your leadership, I expect that you will do everything in your power to defend and protect some of the world's most significant natural treasures.  I trust that you will stand strong as a champion for the flora and fauna the people have entrusted you with.

I need you to know how critical, how important it is to me that you protect America's last wild bison population.

Yellowstone National Park has neglected its duty to ensure a viable, free-ranging population of wild American buffalo.  Since the signing of the failed Interagency Bison Management Plan, Yellowstone has shamefully participated in the senseless slaughter of more than 3,000 wild American buffalo, and year after year thousands more are repeatedly harassed.

The wild buffalo of the Yellowstone ecosystem are the last continuously wild population of American bison existing in the United States, and they are ecologically extinct throughout their native North American range, in danger of disappearing forever if Yellowstone National Park continues to participate in the Interagency Bison Management Plan (IBMP).

Yellowstone has a responsibility to protect wildlife and must end participation in the relentless harassment of wild, migrating bison day after day, year after year.

I also ask that Yellowstone reconsider it's enormous and unnecessary closure surrounding the Stephens Creek area, and that the public be given access - even if it must be escorted - to the trap when wild buffalo are being trapped, tested, and held there.   Under the current closure, the buffalo are unable to be seen by the public, and their welfare is in question.  I also demand that Yellowstone put web cams at the traps so that we can see what you are doing to our wild buffalo, though this web cam should not take the place of access.  These are the public's wildlife, trapped on public land, held in a facility using public money, and the public has a right to access.

I also ask that the Park Service finally change the status quo of bison (mis) management.  It is time for Yellowstone to stand up against Montana's livestock industry.  Yellowstone must cease catering to cattle and instead defend the wild buffalo you are entrusted with.  If you have walked into the office of Superintendent intending to carry on with business as usual for wild buffalo,  I encourage you to read the powerful and articulate words of Dr. Brian L. Horejsi, in his essay "Bison Abuse Merits Harsh Criticism."  
http://wolves.wordpress.com/2011/02/17/bison-abuse-merits-harsh-criticism/

I echo his sentiments and challenge you to change the status quo directly.

I am asking you to pull Yellowstone out of the Interagency Bison Management Plan, dismantle the Stephens Creek trap, put an end to hazing, and implement habitat-based solutions that respects the wild integrity of America's last wild buffalo, ensuring their  evolutionary potential.

I appreciate hearing back from you.  Please don't write to me about the IBMP, but do tell me about the positive changes you will make for wild buffalo and their freedom to access available and historic habitat during your time as Yellowstone's Superintendent.

Superintendent Dan Wenk

Yellowstone National Park
P.O. Box 168
Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190

Thank you so much for taking this important action for wild buffalo! Please share this alert on Facebook, blogs, or other email and internet connections you have.