Baby Bison Euthanized

This is my first post. I'm usually vehemently opposed to articles pertaining to anything dealing with animals usually because they are PETA driven drivel not worth a second glance. However, this article got my blood pressure above normal. Apparently they killed this animal after the couple brought it to the ranger station because it was too friendly and apparently rejected from the herd. My issue is they couldn't have found a rancher willing to raise this animal? Proves the absolute stupidity of those working for the govt.





www.foxnews.com...

Bison from that park have a disease that the rangers are trying to keep to just that park, nothing is allowed out.

Sucks but that's why they couldn't find it a new home. Humans once again sticking their nose into nature's business.

Those idiots only received a 110.00 fine?

It's their fault. Not just the rangers.

God I hope the animals eat stupid people.

Ok the tourists were stupid and deserve much more than the $110 fine even if their stupidity was well intended.

But really?
To euthanise the animal because it liked humans???


To me this seems like a child breaking a toy so others cant play with it.
Whoever ordered the euthanising of that animal isnt fit to be working in that line of work

Oh, and by the way, welcome to ats.

originally posted by: IkNOwSTuff
Ok the tourists were stupid and deserve much more than the $110 fine even if their stupidity was well intended.

But really?
To euthanise the animal because it liked humans???


To me this seems like a child breaking a toy so others cant play with it.
Whoever ordered the euthanising of that animal isnt fit to be working in that line of work

They killed it to keep a certain disease in the park, that's all. It wasn't to break anyone's toys

originally posted by: Mrgone
Bison from that park have a disease that the rangers are trying to keep to just that park, nothing is allowed out.

Sucks but that's why they couldn't find it a new home. Humans once again sticking their nose into nature's business.

Correct.
I believe it is brucellosis. It can spread from animals to people through contaminated milk, hence the reason to keep it away from ranches.
Mayo Clinic
Edit to add more info:
BRUCELLOSIS AND YELLOWSTONE BISON IN MONTANA

Brucellosis, or Bang's Disease, is commonly found in buffalo, elk and domestic cattle. Cattle, specifically cows, are most susceptible to the disease and its effects however, and are prone to abortions, low milk production and even infertility when infected. Spread through contact with reproductive fluids or grass that is wet with such fluids, brucellosis is difficult to detect and even more difficult to prevent through inoculation. This holds particularly true for the wild, free-roaming Yellowstone bison, which presently number more than 4,000 within the park -- the last truly wild bison found in North America. Because of the National Park Service's policy of natural management in our nation's parks, human influence is kept to a minimum. Yellowstone bison numbers have soared due to lack of predators (although the reintroduction of wolves into the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is expected to have an effect eventually) and because of the absence of any human-induced population control methods. Scarcity of winter range is the only real check on the Yellowstone buffalo, and thus, the animals have begun to wander north of park boundaries in search of food.

In response to this gradual exodus from the park, the federal government and the state of Montana allow buffalo that cross park lines and threaten to mingle with domestic cattle or damage private property to be shot. Although there are no documented cases of wild bison spreading the disease to cattle, cattlemen support the shootings as they seek to preserve Montana's brucellosis-free status for the sake of their livelihoods and the state economy. The National Park Service endorses the killings as a means to control the bison populations without contradicting their policy of natural management within the park.

a reply to: Mrgone Did that animal test positive for that, or was it killed because of a guess?

originally posted by: AVtech34
a reply to: Mrgone Did that animal test positive for that, or was it killed because of a guess?

From the OP article:

Visitors brought the newborn calf to a park facility on May 9, which officials called a dangerous move because adult bison are protective and will attack to defend their young. Rangers took the animal back to where it was picked up, but they could not get it back with the herd after several tries. "The bison calf was later euthanized because it was abandoned and causing a dangerous situation by continually approaching people and cars along the roadway," the park said in a statement.

a reply to: Mrgone
Ok well thats a bit different and it didnt mention that in the article.

Even with the disease I cant believe killing the poor thing was the way forward.
It had an affinity for humans and people obviously want to see the animals up close, why not keep him as a mascot that visitors could approach and touch?

Here in Oz we have parks you can see native animals in and almost all of them have a few animals that for one reason or another arent in the wild.
They usually become quite social and enjoy human contact.

originally posted by: IkNOwSTuff
a reply to: Mrgone
Ok well thats a bit different and it didnt mention that in the article.

Even with the disease I cant believe killing the poor thing was the way forward.
It had an affinity for humans and people obviously want to see the animals up close, why not keep him as a mascot that visitors could approach and touch?

Here in Oz we have parks you can see native animals in and almost all of them have a few animals that for one reason or another arent in the wild.
They usually become quite social and enjoy human contact.

I suspect that brucellosis affects the decision making process at Yellowstone. If you Google search brucellosis, the story about the bison calf comes up at the top, so there is some connection.

a reply to: butcherguy Yes, I read the article. It was killed for continuously approaching tourists. If that is the way the blm manages animals they might as well kill off the elk herd in Estes park for doing the exact same thing. Disease or not.

originally posted by: AVtech34
a reply to: butcherguy Yes, I read the article. It was killed for continuously approaching tourists. If that is the way the blm manages animals they might as well kill off the elk herd in Estes park for doing the exact same thing. Disease or not.

Don't give them any ideas....
Elk carry brucellosis too.

originally posted by: IkNOwSTuff
To euthanise the animal because it liked humans???


To me this seems like a child breaking a toy so others cant play with it.
Whoever ordered the euthanising of that animal isnt fit to be working in that line of work

That calf would have grown into a 1 ton wrecking machine that had zero fear of human and actually looked toward them to provide food. In a "wild" park like Yellowstone, that's a recipe for disaster. With the law preventing the animal from leaving Yellowstone to isolate disease, there simply wasn't any mechanism to keep the animal alive and from being a danger to itself or people.

Sooooooooo,


Buffalo burgers anyone? I have pineapple slices.....

a reply to: AVtech34

Brucellosis.

Otherwise, yeah, let it be raised and added to a domestic herd but even then you have the risk that it's still a wild animal that's acclimated to humans. If you've ever seen humans working with "domestic" bison, then you know they don't act like domestic cattle at all. They're faster and stronger and a lot spookier.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: AVtech34

Brucellosis.

Otherwise, yeah, let it be raised and added to a domestic herd but even then you have the risk that it's still a wild animal that's acclimated to humans. If you've ever seen humans working with "domestic" bison, then you know they don't act like domestic cattle at all. They're faster and stronger and a lot spookier.

I know a guy that had to take down a charging bull bison years ago at a bison farm.
Raised from a calf, he decided to go roaming one day and he wasn't in a pleasant mood.

a reply to: butcherguy



This is Ralphie, CU's mascot. Ralphie is well trained, but they cannot let her deviate from her routine, and I'm pretty sure she isn't ever a full-grown bison cow either. Once one of her handlers messed up and ran where he shouldn't and she ran him over.

originally posted by: chiefsmom
Those idiots only received a 110.00 fine?

It's their fault. Not just the rangers.

God I hope the animals eat stupid people.

what lol... bisons dont even eat meat.