[RFN] Yellowstone Releases 800+ Buffalo, But 25% of the Herds are Gone

[Stephany Seay]

Dear Friends,

We wanted to share with you some news in regards to the country's last wild
buffalo.  The good news is that Yellowstone National Park kept their
promise and released more than 800 buffalo from their Stephens Creek
buffalo trap.  The bad news is that 25% of the herds have been lost --
either killed or consigned to a life of domestication (quarantine).  But,
it is also that time of year and baby buffalo are starting to arrive.

Here is RFN's most recent report:
Spring Arrives, and Buffalo in the Trap are Released
<https://roamfreenation.org/2023/04/20/spring-arrives-and-buffalo-in-the-trap-are-released/>

Here is a press release we sent out this morning based on our report:
Yellowstone Releases Hundreds of Captive Buffalo, But, 25% of the Herds
Have Been Lost, Mainly to "Hunting"
<https://roamfreenation.org/media/press-releases/yellowstone-releases-hundreds-of-captive-buffalo/>

And here is a profound article by Billing's Gazette reporter, Brett
French.  This article was picked up by quite a few papers.  It's definitely
worth the read.
Hunt, Slaughter, or Harvest? Advocates Argue Over the Tribal Killing of
Yellowstone Bison
<https://helenair.com/news/state-and-regional/hunt-slaughter-or-harvest-advocates-argue-over-tribal-killing-of-yellowstone-bison/article_068880ed-dff8-5223-8203-6303c60206b7.html#tracking-source=home-the-latest>

Lastly, here is an opinion-editorial written by our comrade, Mike Garrity,
executive director of the Alliance for the Wild Rockies:
Biden and Interior Secretary Haaland Must Stop Yellowstone Bison Slaughter
<https://www.counterpunch.org/2023/04/14/biden-and-interior-secretary-haaland-must-stop-yellowstone-buffalo-slaughter/>

It has been a brutal season for the country's last wild buffalo.  Not only
with human mismanagement, but a very long and intense winter has taken a
toll as well.  We will not know how much of an impact this has had on both
the imperiled Central herd and the Northern herd until Yellowstone conducts
their population estimate this summer.  But, we can tell you that things
look pretty grim.  There are still a few buffalo in the Gardiner Basin
north of the park, and at least three tribes have stated they will continue
to hunt through the month of April -- even though it is already calving
season!  In West Yellowstone, we usually see scores of buffalo migrating
towards their calving grounds on and around Horse Butte by the end of
March.  But, so far, very few buffalo have made it there.  One supporter
who lives on the Butte got some footage of a very small family group with
just a few adult females and lots of yearlings and young ones.  This
indicates that many of the little ones' mothers were killed, most likely in
the "hunt".

What can we do?  There is one extremely important action you can take right
now, and that is to make comments to the US Fish & Wildlife Service in
support of Endangered Species Act protection for these vulnerable herds.
The USFWS is accepting comments through June 4, 2023.  You can take action
right now!   <https://roamfreenation.org/take-action/>

If you're in the region, you can also attend the next Interagency Bison
Management Plan meeting taking place on June 6 (field trip) and June 7
(actual meeting) in Gardiner, Montana.  This is sure to be a very heated
meeting given the dramatically horrific killing spree that took place.  Here
are the meeting details <http://ibmp.info/meetings.php>.

Roam Free Nation's cofounders will be in attendance to represent the
buffalo's perspective.  So, if you can't make it, we will definitely fill
you in!

Please consider supporting our work in defense of the last wild buffalo
<https://roamfreenation.org/support-us/>.  And thank you to everyone who
cares about the buffalo and all of wild nature!

WILD IS THE WAY ~ ROAM FREE!

~ Stephany
Cofounder, Roam Free Nation
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