Blockaders Enter Third Week In Tripods on Forest Service Road 610 to Stop Construction of Buffalo Trap-

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 9, 1999 Media Contacts: Sarah Chalmers, Sue Nackoney (406) 646-0070

WEST YELLOWSTONE, MT- Two Buffalo Nations volunteers, Kelly Needs and Brandon Bridges, continue into their third week of blockading the construction of a new capture facility. Since January 25, they have been sitting on platforms suspended 30 feet above the ground from lodgepole pine tripods blocking the Forest Service Road leading to the site of a newly permitted bison trap on Horse Butte. The trap, which has not yet been constructed, will be similar to the trap at Duck Creek which has sent 15 buffalo to slaughter this winter.

On Friday, January 29, District Ranger David Garber signed a Decision Notice allowing the DOL to operate a new buffalo capture facility on the Gallatin National Forest according to their "long-term" plan over the next 10 years. The Permit to build the facility has not been signed by the Department of Livestock. Forest Service representatives available today did not know why the signing was delayed. As of late January, the DOL stated that they were planning to construct the trap before February 1, during which time they had permission to operate by the terms of their "short-term" plan. Currently DOL is conducting eagle surveys for a nesting pair whose habitat is adjacent to one of the proposed capture facility sites.

"Why is the DOL responsible for wildlife management? It makes no sense for livestock agents to be monitoring the nesting patterns of eagles whose presence might prohibit the construction of the capture facility. This is the same twist of logic that allows the DOL, an agency in charge of livestock, to have control over wildlife through current bison management policy. The DOL has no incentive to care for wildlife when cattle interests are at stake," stated Sue Nackoney, Buffalo Nations spokesperson.

The road blockade progressed from two tripods (30 foot high structure made of three lodgepole pine poles lashed together at the apex) to four tripods. One 3 foot by 5 foot platform is suspended from the apex of one of the tripods and the other platform is suspended from a pole balanced between two of the other tripods. There are now a total of 15 poles in the structure, one for each buffalo who has been killed by the DOL this year.

"We are here because we can not watch more buffalo face needless death at the hands of the Department of Livestock. It is obvious that capture facilities kill buffalo, and that few are released. Our blockade will continue for as long as necessary, until buffalo are safe on Horse Butte," said Brandon Bridges, an 18 year old student from Kentucky.

The sitters have spent their days and nights living on platforms in the air since the early morning of Monday, January 25. Temperatures have reached thirty degrees below zero at times and there have been several major snowstorms and huge windstorms. The 610 road is closed by drifting snow.

Law enforcement officers from the DOL, Forest Service, and Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks have visited the blockade, but they haven't made any effort to remove it.

The state of Montana has requested up to $500,000 per year in federal subsidies from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the operation of the bison trap.

There are no cows on Horse Butte until June. All of these cows winter in Idaho, and are currently vaccinated against brucellosis. The summer grazing on Horse Butte amounts to 172 cow/calf pairs present from June 15th through October. This grazing allotment brings in less than $800 to the U.S. Treasury.

The facility will capture and test buffalo who migrate to the peninsula. The agencies claim that the operation of the capture facility will help with the "urgent need" to reduce bison mortality. However, in the winter of 1996-1997, the use of these facilities sent hundreds of buffalo to slaughter. All pregnant females, regardless of whether they test positive for brucellosis, will be shipped to slaughter. All other buffalo testing positive will be shipped to slaughter, including bulls and yearling calves, which pose virtually no risk of brucellosis transmission. Of the 15 buffalo slaughtered this winter, 13 have been bulls.

The test that the DOL uses to determine the fate of its captive bison is highly unreliable. Buffalo are tested for seropositivity, a blood indicator which only proves that the buffalo have been exposed to brucellosis, and have developed antibodies against the disease. For example, a beef cow that has been vaccinated against brucellosis will test seropositive for brucellosis, although it can not transmit the disease. A seropositive test result does not prove that a buffalo could transmit brucellosis. The potential for transmission can only be determined by a tissue culture of the reproductive tract.

Video Footage Available upon Request. Scanned still photos available from our website, http://www.wildrockies.org/buffalo