Comment from Koelle, Alexandra
Alexandra KoelleSupportIndividual
Summary: The commenter supports listing the Yellowstone bison as an endangered species under the ESA. They argue that the bison face significant threats from the cattle industry, invasive species, habitat destruction, and restrictive government management plans.
I am writing in support of listing Yellowstone’s wild Buffalo under the ESA.<br/>Threats that warrant endangered species protection:<br/><br/>The State of Montana’s cattle industry’s unreasonable intolerance for native wild buffalo.<br/>The Interagency Bison Management Plan, a joint state/tribal/federal plan that facilitates the destruction of wild, migratory buffalo through capture-for-slaughter and -quarantine (domestication), excessive hunting, hazing, and unnecessary and harmful scientific experimentation, all to benefit Montana’s livestock industry.<br/>Excessive hunting along Yellowstone’s North and West boundaries that blocks migration to available habitat, prevents restoration, and results in numerous pregnant females being killed.<br/>The presence of invasive cattle along with accompanying fencing that takes away critical habitat.<br/>Threats of diseases from invasive cattle.<br/>Human developments such as agricultural lands, sub-divisions, roads, etc., that have all but destroyed ancient migration corridors and habitat connectivity.<br/>Government-created “drop dead zones” and “intolerance zones” that prevent wild, migratory bison from accessing public and private lands.<br/>The lack of safe passage infrastructure along dangerous highways, specifically U.S. Hwy. 191, which cut through a critical migration corridor in Montana’s Hebgen Basin.<br/>The poor decision by the USNF Gallatin National Forest which denied wild, migratory buffalo Species of Conservation Concern status.<br/>The draconian law, MCA 81-2-120, that gives authority over wild, migratory bison to the Montana Department of Livestock.