We reported last week that it looks like the wild bison herd of Yellowstone National Park may finally be getting more room to roam. Now it appears that most Montanans support that decision as well.
A recent poll from Moore Information commissioned by the National Wildlife Federation shows strong support among Montanans for restoring wild bison outside of Yellowstone, including 70 percent who favor establishing a population at the 1.1-million acre Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge.
Despite these strong numbers, several bills are working their way through the Montana Legislature that could stall or even prohibit efforts to restore wild bison around the state, including to tribal lands where Native American leaders have been calling for dedicated restoration efforts. One bill would prevent the relocation of wild bison anywhere outside the National Bison range, two bills would impose additional administrative hurdles for moving bison, and another would delay any relocation until Montana finalized a comprehensive state bison management plan.
Robert Magnan and Michael Fox, directors of the tribal bison programs at Fort Peck and Fort Belknap Reservations respectively, wrote an op-ed in the Billings Gazette explaining why these bills would unfairly impede their efforts to conserve bison. With more than $200,000 invested in preparing for the return of wild Yellowstone bison to their lands, Fort Peck and Fort Belknap have earned the right to receive Yellowstone bison and manage their own conservation herds.
“We invite those in the Legislature who support these bills to learn more and lend a hand rather than use your votes to squelch our dreams.” — Robert Magnan & Michael Fox, tribal bison managers at Forts Peck and Belknap in Montana
Meanwhile, Montana is pushing forward with plans to allow bison to roam throughout the Gardiner Basin, some 13 miles north of the park along the Yellowstone River. More than 600 bison are currently being held at two temporary holding facilities to prevent them from roaming into Montana, but one is already nearing capacity. The other has room only for bison that are disease-free. So far, some 250 bison have tested positive for brucellosis and their fate remains uncertain, even though there has never been a documented case of bison-to-cattle transmission of the disease.
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