America's last free-roaming wild bison are being slaughtered on a scale not seen since the 1800s. And hundreds more are slated to be killed.
1,600 bison were killed in the winter of 2007/2008 -- more than a quarter of the wild population. This is no way to manage one of the icons of the American West -- especially in a state that prides itself as a destination for wildlife-seeking tourists.
Take action now! Write to the Montana Promotion Division -- the state%u2019s tourism officials -- and speak out for sensible management of these American icons!
Remember to personalize your comments -- tell officials why it's important to you that the bison slaughter is stopped.
I am writing to encourage you to use your influence as Administrator of the Montana Promotion Division to help stop the shameful slaughter of Yellowstone National Park's bison.
Yellowstone National Park is home to one of America's last free-roaming bison herds and a powerful reminder of the great American West. Yet these majestic animals are needlessly killed when they leave the borders of the park by state and federal officials who fear the animals will spread brucellosis to cattle, even though there has never been a single case of a buffalo in the wild spreading the disease to cattle.
Montana touts itself as a haven for nature-based tourism, yet the practice of hazing, harassing and slaughtering hundreds of the last free-roaming wild bison in America tarnishes the state's reputation as a destination to enjoy the wilds of the west.
More than 3,000 bison have been killed in the past 15 years. This year alone, the slaughter has so far reached more than 1,100 bison -- nearly a quarter of the wild population. Wild bison killing on such a scale has not been seen since the 1800s.
It is hard to imagine that this type of wildlife management still goes on in the 21st century in a state that takes pride in its wildlife and wild places.
Surely there is enough room in Big Sky Country to let the buffalo roam freely without the large-scale slaughter and hazing that take place each year.
Please convey my opposition to Montana's killing of Yellowstone's bison to Governor Schweitzer and encourage the Governor and his staff to explore alternative solutions to the harassing and killing of our wild bison, including establishing bison populations on the National Forests adjacent to Yellowstone National Park.
