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Letter: Take heed of plans for managing brucellosis
By Joe Gutkoski - 08/12/2008
I believe that the public and concerned citizens for wildlife and fish have a right to know about the latest slaughter plan for elk and buffalo by the Montana Stockgrowers Association and Farm Bureau in the guise of brucellosis elimination in the Greater Yellowstone Area.
It is called the “Hot Spot Brucellosis Management Plan,” and it includes the following:
Vaccination of every elk that leaves Yellowstone National Park when an effective vaccine is developed.
All elk leaving the park will be captured, tested, tagged with a panel tag and or an electronic tracking tag. If elk are found to be brucellosis positive, they will be slaughtered.
All buffalo leaving the park will be captured, tested and tagged with an electronic tracking tag. Those buffalo testing negative for brucellosis will be vaccinated.
All buffalo females captured outside the park that test negative for brucellosis will be sterilized.
Paying for the program will be Montana State Fish, Wildlife and Parks or the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
Do not be lulled into thinking this unrealistic plan is designed by harmless misguided people.
Remember, 1,683 buffalo have been slaughtered only since Jan. 1, 2008 — captured by Yellowstone National Park, in the Stevens Creek trap, inside the park.
Since Jan. 1, 2000, 3,678 buffalo have been slaughtered from the Gardiner and Horse Butte areas. I am deeply concerned about the genetic viability of the park’s surviving herds.
Joe Gutkoski President American Buffalo Foundation 304 N. 18th Ave.
Bozeman
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