Montana DOL conducts massive hazing of bison contrary to new regulations.

 Post 997

Law, private and public property, human safety, and the welfare of Yellowstone area animals mean nothing to these lawless brutes.

Here is the news release from the Buffalo Field Campaign.

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Buffalo Field Campaign
P. O. Box 957
West Yellowstone, MT 59758
406-646-0070 (phone)
406-646-0071 (fax)

bfc-media@wildrockies.org
http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org

MASSIVE BISON HAZING OPERATION TAKES PLACE ON PUBLIC LAND

Department Of Livestock Ignores IBMP Adaptive Change Agreement

Exclusive BFC Video & Photos Available Upon Request

For Immediate Release: April 10, 2007

Contact: Stephany Seay (406) 646-0070

WEST YELLOWSTONE, MONTANA. The Montana Department of Livestock (DOL) conducted a massive hazing operation today of approximately 250 wild Yellowstone bison along public lands just outside the western boundary of Yellowstone National Park. The Yellowstone bison herd is the last continuously wild herd in the United States. Genetically and behaviorally unique, the Yellowstone herd currently numbers fewer than 3,600 individuals.

The hazing operation runs counter to adaptations made to the Interagency Bison Management Plan (IBMP) in November 2006, which were supposed to adjust bison management operations. According to the Adjustments to 2006-2007 IBMP Operating Procedures memorandum, the agencies agreed that “based upon collective evaluation of prevailing management activities and consideration of the IBMP objectives, the partner agencies have agreed to incorporate the following into the 2006-2007 IBMP Operating Procedures:

Speak Out for Wyoming’s Wolves at Cody Hearing, April 19

Post 996

Because anti-wolf forces were unable to dominate the delisting discussion at any of the regular public hearings around the West, a special hearing at Cody was asked for by Wyoming officials. They kept the date a secret for a long time, but it’s announced — April 19.

If a big majority doesn’t savage the wolf in Cody, where can they win except among the corrupt state and Department of Interior politicians trading favors back and forth?

This is your chance in Wyoming to get up from under their boot and tell them what you think. I know there are a lot of good conservationists in the Cody area, so show up and exercise your right of free speech.

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Here is an alert on the hearing from WOC, the Wyoming Outdoor Council.

On Thursday, April 19, 2007 the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is hosting a public hearing in Cody, Wyo. on a proposal to begin delisting the gray wolf in the Northern Rockies. Please consider joining us at the meeting. Wyoming’s wolves need public support..

The Wyoming Outdoor Council agrees with many that it is time for the gray wolf to be delisted. However, the proposal under consideration will not ensure sustainable wolf populations into the future. The USFWS is considering accepting Wyoming’s dual-status management plan, which calls for trophy game management of wolves in a designated area in northwestern Wyoming and predator status for the animals elsewhere. Predators can be shot on sight. Furthermore, Wyoming’s plan proposes reducing the state’s wolf population to 100 individuals. Such management does not protect wolves, therefore, we do not support delisting under these conditions.

We encourage you to attend the public meeting and speak up in support of wolves. If you cannot attend the meeting, please consider writing a letter to the USFWS.

What: USFWS Public Hearing on gray wolves

When:
April 19, 2007

Open house from 3 - 5 pm
Public hearing 6 - 8 pm

Where: Cody Auditorium, 1240 Beck Avenue, Cody, WY 82414.

A ringing victory for salmon in the Ninth Circuit

Post 995

It must gall Kempthorne and Idaho’s water politicians, but the Ninth Circuit Court has upheld an earlier decision on salmon that could lead to the tearing down of the pork barrel salmon and steelhead-killing dams on the lower Snake River.

Significantly, “The court also called flawed the Bush administration’s standards that said Endangered Species Act protection does not need to meet goals that would recover salmon, but must only keep their numbers stable. ‘Under this approach, a listed species could be gradually destroyed, so long as each step on the path to destruction is sufficiently modest,’ ” [Judge] Thomas wrote for the court. ‘This type of slow slide into oblivion is one of the very ills the ESA seeks to prevent.’ “

I think think these court interpretation of the ESA could doom many of the Bush Administration’s plans for endangered species.

Story. Appeals court: Federal dam plan is illegal. Salmon advocates say ruling should force agencies to consider removing lower Snake River dams. By Rocky Barker. Idaho Statesman

Background. On the dams and the salmon, from Rocky Barkers book, Saving All the Parts: Reconciling Economics and the Endangered Species Act