Another Year of Yellowstone Bison Slaughter is Unacceptable

Bozeman, MT – The Yellowstone bison herd may be reduced by at least 600 this winter and spring if the controversial ship to slaughter program and hunting in Montana is approved by state and federal officials. The decision expected by the Interagency Management Plan partners will move forward with the ship to slaughter program, which is based on an outdated management plan and further underscores that it is time for a new plan.

“Removing at least 600 bison, many of which will likely be shipped to slaughter, is based on outdated science and seriously underscores the need for Montana and the Obama Administration to work quickly to finalize a new plan that ends the needless slaughter of bison,” said Stephanie Adams, National Parks Conservation Association’s Yellowstone Program Manager. “Since the current Yellowstone bison management plan was finalized in 2000, nearly 4,000 bison have been shipped to slaughter. We need a new plan that recognizes there is conflict-free, year-round habitat outside the park in Montana where bison can roam, rather than being shipped to slaughter.”

The Yellowstone bison management plan was selected as one of nine #ParksInPeril issues that National Parks Conservation Association is urging the Obama administration to take action on. By finalizing a new bison management plan, the administration can help secure the long-term ecological health of the herd.

Aimed at informing the in-progress development of a new Yellowstone-Area Bison Conservation Plan, National Parks Conservation Association and partners recently released a report and recommendations, The Future of Yellowstone Bison Management. The document outlines a clear path forward for policy makers to protect Yellowstone’s bison.

“While National Parks Conservation Association supports efforts by the National Park Service and other agencies to write a new bison management plan, the clock is ticking,” said Adams. “We are calling for an end to the mass shipment of iconic Yellowstone bison to slaughter. We need the Obama Administration’s commitment to get the job done by finalizing a new Bison Management Plan based on the best available science before the end of 2016.”

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About National Parks Conservation Association
Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than one million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s natural, historical, and cultural heritage for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.