The American Buffalo is Almost Extinct!

There is a crisis here at Yellowstone National Park. The world's last genetically intact, wild herd of Buffalo is being exterminated by our national and state governments, and by private citizens of the area. No crisis is without a history, so here's a quick summary, but go to www.buffalofieldcampaign.org for any and all details.

In the mid- to late- 1800s, Native Americans in this area were ethnically cleansed and forcibly removed from their land. Frontier land owners from the East replaced them. This new culture was characterized by dependence upon cattle. Tens of millions of buffalo were exterminated, and a deep prejudice against both Native Americans and buffalo was forged by means of a fabricated fear of competition for resources. This prejudice festered, and over the last 200 years, Native Americans and buffalo are still losing their land and rights to life. Now, the Montana Department of Livestock, National and State Park and Forest Services, law enforcement agencies, and a handful of other government agencies are abusing and exterminating the buffalo. The official reason given is a fear for Brucellosis transmission to cattle, but it has never been proven to transmit to cattle, and the elk, which does transmit the disease to cattle is left to normal hunting permits and protected herd numbers.

Recently, Yellowstone National Park has announced plans to kill up to 700 buffalo, at least 50 of which will be detained, experimented on, and slaughtered. It has also been announced that the herd should be reduced to 3,000. Slaughter is achieved by hazing activities using helicopters, ATVs, horses, and other law-breaking methods to corral the buffalo into traps. The worst abuses take place outside Yellowstone National Park in the winter and early spring when the herd leaves the arbitrary border of the Park; and thus, the laws protecting them. Legislation has supported these actions in many ways, not the least of which because the buffalo is still not on the endangered species list, when this gentle giant species is almost extinct.

Governor Brian Schweitzer of Montana gave an executive order last year that saved the lives of 800 buffalo. We are working toward similar aims this season with all signs pointing to major conflict between government agencies and the communities who love and protect the buffalo. I am here to help fulfill that role. Please visit www.buffalofieldcampaign.org to demand legislation to protect this species, and to help this, the only organization protecting them. Next post will give an update on my experience and on the fate of the buffalo. Stay tuned, and thanks for reading!