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What happens after 'disease-free' buffalo are caught?

I am writing to express disgust over the governor's latest plan to harass wild buffalo. For years, this state has categorized wild buffalo as livestock, in order to allow the Department of Livestock to "manage" them, which has meant that buffalo are not allowed in our state and are hazed repeatedly over and over by trucks, helicopters and men on horses to force them back to Wyoming.


 But, alas, the state figured out a way to make some money on these animals, and buffalo are back to being considered wildlife and are briefly allowed into our state in order to be shot and killed.

But wait, the DOL is still hazing them in between hunts. Livestock or wildlife?

Here is your answer. The governor has come up with a plan to capture and quarantine an unknown number of buffalo in hopes of "creating" a "disease-free" herd. Their current proposal is to lease a facility on private land in the Paradise Valley and force wild buffalo to live in a fenced area, feed them hay, tag them like livestock and have a grand ol' scientific experiment.

When quarantine was initially proposed, the agencies claimed that 400-600 acres would be available. Now, their tune has changed and they are offering a mere 30 acres, which means just over one acre per buffalo. Cattle would not even be raised in such conditions.

The captured buffalo that survive the experiment will have been captive for at least four years before release. They will have been handled frequently and be accustomed to eating feed. These will by no means be wild buffalo any longer.

Additionally, the experiment will encourage large-scale capture operations to get the "required number" of buffalo calves. Based on 2004 figures, it is estimated that nearly 2,600 wild buffalo would need to be captured and tested for the agencies to get their 200 "disease-free" calves. What happens to the other 2,400?

Help the buffalo by voicing your concerns today to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620-0701; e-mail, BisonQuarantineEA@mt.gov; fax, 406-444-4952.

Marlene Renwyck

Livingston

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