"Rescued" Bison calf euthanized today

[gwynne]

I agree and I do think many comments (both here and on the news stories) are pretty harsh.

However, I am glad that things like this get a good amount of attention so others can learn. It seems that people do way more stupid/dangerous things now. I know people have always done things without thinking through their actions, but it seems like the chance to take a picture or video with your phone is making this more common. (Not saying this was the case with this particular incident, but the parks have mentioned increased problems with people getting too close to the animals for photo ops.)

I have even seen videos recently where animals have been killed because people felt their "need" to take a selfie was more important than than that animal's health and safety.




$110

People "think" they are very smart, probably due to a google habit of getting some sort of answer for everything. Not necessarily correct or best, but that is beside the point to them. Add in the need to take a dozen selfies a day and there you have it. Yellowstone isn't an interactive petting zoo to be enjoyed as each visitor sees fit.
Park Rangers truly care about these animals. They are doing all they can to educate the park visitor, but the visitor has to respect their knowledge and authority.

 

[bcla]

Bison are HUGE. When we drove through Custer State Park, there was a big herd of them, and there was always some joker standing way.too.close and taking selfies. Talk about stupid. My farmer 'herds' his bison from pasture to pasture, and he's pretty darn careful about it. As he says, bison have only two speeds....grazing speed (slow walk while they graze), and stampede (faster than any human can run). There is no middle ground. And, they go from one to the other very quickly. Plus, they can turn very quickly and at high speed. Interesting to watch. We watched him "herd" them across a rural road to the other pasture, and he put up 'chutes' and managed to convince the lead bull to go through. The rest, literally, stampeded right behind. Took only a couple of seconds. You could feel the road vibrate something fierce as they ran across. (We were well back for safety). It must have been a magnificent sight when they roamed the prairies by the million.

Those probably aren't as genetically pure as the Yellowstone area's bison. Bison were bred with domestic cattle, and a lot of the wild population have cattle genes that may make them more docile. There were also escaped cattle that may have mated with bison.

Nearly all ranched bison have domestic cattle ancestry.

Bison are rather unpredictable though. I don't know about two speeds. I've waited as a line of bison were crossing the road slowly. I've never seen a stampede (I suppose Dances With Wolves was pretty accurate). I have driven by and saw bison gently galloping. Here's one running along a road in Canada. I don't think the driver is doing anything to provoke it, like stop in front of it.

 

[bcla]

People "think" they are very smart, probably due to a google habit of getting some sort of answer for everything. Not necessarily correct or best, but that is beside the point to them. Add in the need to take a dozen selfies a day and there you have it. Yellowstone isn't an interactive petting zoo to be enjoyed as each visitor sees fit.
Park Rangers truly care about these animals. They are doing all they can to educate the park visitor, but the visitor has to respect their knowledge and authority.

Everyone seems to have an opinion though. I've seen quite a few people of complain that NPS is allowing the removal of bison for slaughter. They are actually required to keep the population down due to a court-approved agreement with the surrounding states, ostensibly to reduce the chance of brucellosis outbreaks spreading to cattle. Quite a few equate this with not caring about the wildlife.

They're doing what they can to balance all this. It's not as if they don't care. However, they certainly want to keep them wild, which means one approaching people for food is unacceptable - especially if others might copy that behavior. Even so, it's a population they're trying to maintain. Humans may think in terms of individual survival, but nature worries about populations. Individuals may become food for predators, and it's not up to visitors to decide that's unacceptable. There are even stories of visitors intervening when predators attacked prey.

And as a total aside, a bison left the biggest turd I've ever seen.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

So there aren't any Bison rescue groups that could have taken it? I get there are reasons they cannot care for it, but it seems as if they were just like oh well lets euthanize it.

The people were idiots for sure, but from another country so maybe they did think they were helping, but like someone upthread said it doesn't excuse their actions. Hopefully they were charged a hefty fine.

This keeps getting suggested. It makes me wonder, what is their level of education to not undersrand about wild animals.

I would feel sad if I saw a seemingly abandoned baby wild animal. But I'm not going it in my truck. If I don't know enough about the animal and how it copes in the climate, how am I going to know that I will be safe with said animal in my vehicle?

I'm having a hard time believing this people were that lacking in common sense to believe it was cold but would be perfectly safe in their toasty SUV.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

The tourists did a really stupid thing, but I still think it's sad the park couldn't come up with some way not to kill that poor baby.

Side note - it's been mentioned that guests are handed a pamphlet before touring the park. I expect (from watching countless school kids over the years not read directions) that many people simply don't read said pamphlet. Handing it out transfers the blame for any stupid actions from the park to the tourists, but it doesn't really stop those stupid things from happening. Should we be doing something else?

The solutions are fine the people who do stupid things or to close the National parks.

I suppose they could
Go to the expense of requiring a short video training before accessing the park.

But it does seem there isn't an epidemic of bison kidnappings. Most people seem to understand the rules.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

There are signs all over, rangers, gift shop attendants EVERYONE tells you. Campgrounds, lodges it is posted everywhere. It was very clear to my then 4 year old. But we still saw people getting way to close for selfies and whatnot. It is actually amazing more people don't get hurt, but I think the animals are largely used to humans being around.

To clarify my earlier post -taking a baby bison as easy, I was referring to the fact that it is normal for them to be that close to the cars, as everyone was speculating that the baby had already been abandoned by its mother.

In Shenandoah, there always seems to be the tourist getting close to the baby bears for a better picture.

 

[cornflkgrl]

The solutions are fine the people who do stupid things or to close the National parks.

.

This is what I think they should do. Every other year give the parks a "rest" period. No visitors. Either that or go to a tour-bus only plan (all visitors park at a central location and visits to Old Faithful, Tower Falls, etc. are done by bus only so that no private vehicles are traveling through the parks. Cut back on people just wandering. Tighten up back country use. No snowmobiles (omg, no! I've been told where I can go and what I can do with that opinion more than once).

 

[cornflkgrl]

Everyone seems to have an opinion though. I've seen quite a few people of complain that NPS is allowing the removal of bison for slaughter. They are actually required to keep the population down due to a court-approved agreement with the surrounding states, ostensibly to reduce the chance of brucellosis outbreaks spreading to cattle. Quite a few equate this with not caring about the wildlife.

I don't equate it to NPS "not caring." (OT) But in Montana and Wyoming, the NPS definitely does whatever the ranchers want. And the instances of Brucellosis spread to cattle from Bison has not been adequately proven. This is another issue like the wolves. The fact is, ranchers out there want the right to shoot anything that wanders near their cows. Period. They don't like protected wildlife of any kind. I understand my opinion is very unpopular. I almost got into a bar fight for it and I'm a girl.

 

[bcla]

I don't equate it to NPS "not caring." (OT) But in Montana and Wyoming, the NPS definitely does whatever the ranchers want. And the instances of Brucellosis spread to cattle from Bison has not been adequately proven. This is another issue like the wolves. The fact is, ranchers out there want the right to shoot anything that wanders near their cows. Period. They don't like protected wildlife of any kind. I understand my opinion is very unpopular. I almost got into a bar fight for it and I'm a girl.

I didn't read anything here, but elsewhere I read comments that NPS were somehow bloodthirsty OT possibly even murderers for their policies. Also, the bison aren't really that protected once they exit man made boundaries since they can be hunted once they're no longer on NPS land.

I was under the impression that wolves could be shot if found attacking domestic animals. I suppose the rules do vary by state. Ranchers in California are totally freaked out that wolves have been seen, and the current wolf management plan apparently doesn't allow for the state to kill them. I'm pretty sure they can be killed by ranchers if found attacking domestic animals.

 

[cornflkgrl]

I didn't read anything here, but elsewhere I read comments that NPS were somehow bloodthirsty OT possibly even murderers for their policies. Also, the bison aren't really that protected once they exit man made boundaries since they can be hunted once they're no longer on NPS land.

Well, that opinion probably comes from people who have seen hazing. Lots of buffalo die in the hazing every year. It is basically like Montana Fish and Wildlife/NPS/whomever (not sure who all is involved in the hazing) on one side on their 4 wheelers and in their helicopters with their rubber bullets, etc. pushing all the buffalo one direction and then rancher on the other side just waiting so they can shoot at them since it is legal if they are not in the park. This is the only buffalo of this kind. They are a roaming animal. It is one of the things I'm glad I just don't see or think about at all anymore, having moved now -- or end up arguing with a fifth-generation ranching-family Montanan at a bar about. I just try not to think about it. But then one baby bison is euthanized

 

[mom2rtk]

I agree. When it comes to Yellowstone, there is no shortage of moronic behavior. Check out the book "Death in Yellowstone" for further details. One of my favorite books. But for milder cases, drive through the park and just pull over to grab something from the back seat and watch 10-15 cars pull over behind you because they think you spotted an animal. Fun stuff like that. I don't know what it is ...it's kind of like Disney World. People act weird on vacation. Out of their usual element. Commonsense goes out the window.

I've read that. Also the companion "Death in the Grand Canyon". Amazing just how stupid people can be.

 

[bcla]

I've read that. Also the companion "Death in the Grand Canyon". Amazing just how stupid people can be.

Not sure that's a companion volume. I think it's just a similar book. There are a bunch of similar books by different authors and publishers. Just sort of follows a theme that national parks can be dangerous places.

Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon and Off the Wall: Death in Yosemite are by the same coauthor.

 

[barkley]

In Shenandoah, there always seems to be the tourist getting close to the baby bears for a better picture.

let's state the obvious-PEOPLE ARE STUPID!!!!!! no pamphlets, signage or videos will change some people's ignorance or mindset.

I have no doubt that some day I will be posting on the dis that someone got killed by a moose at my home. the number of idiots who think it's safe to get on the road as close as possible to my property line to gawk at, take selfies with and yammer in loud voices around the massive bull moose let alone the easily provoked and protective mama moose with calves that routinely lounge in my yard drives me mad.

that someone is stupid enough to get within 30 feet of an animal close to 7 feet tall weighing as much as 1500 pounds and capable of speeds up to 30 mph is bad enough-that they will then yank their kids out of the car 'to see bullwinkle' and have them jumping around, screaming and causing the animal to get startled or in the case of a mama-down right p.o'd and raring to take out the threat to her calves is insane.

 

[powellrj]

While I am not even sure this is true, its really funny about what happens when you put an animal in your car.

Warning, I am not posting a link because its not DIS friendly, but just google bambulance and it will come up.

 

[bcla]

Well, that opinion probably comes from people who have seen hazing. Lots of buffalo die in the hazing every year. It is basically like Montana Fish and Wildlife/NPS/whomever (not sure who all is involved in the hazing) on one side on their 4 wheelers and in their helicopters with their rubber bullets, etc. pushing all the buffalo one direction and then rancher on the other side just waiting so they can shoot at them since it is legal if they are not in the park. This is the only buffalo of this kind. They are a roaming animal. It is one of the things I'm glad I just don't see or think about at all anymore, having moved now -- or end up arguing with a fifth-generation ranching-family Montanan at a bar about. I just try not to think about it. But then one baby bison is euthanized

I don't think it was the hazing. The NPS website seems to be completely down right now, but I remember seeing a mention that their bison management plan included capture of animals inside the park that would be given to local native tribes for their meat. The anger didn't seem to be that stuff was done outside of the park boundaries, but that NPS was directly culling bison.

We have our own issues. There's a couple of nonnative deer species in Point Reyes National Seashore. The former superintendent (now top guy at Yosemite) authorized professional hunters to shoot them from helicopters. A few ended up dying in yards.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

So when I was in Yellowstone, we stopped in Mammoth for lunch. There were elk just wandering all over the parking lots, people's front yards, etc. Well, this lady who appeared to be a foreign tourist picks some grass and heads up to a friendly looking female elk. She actually got the thing to eat out of her hand! I had DH filming the whole thing from inside the restaurant because I was sure she was going to get gored. She didn't, but she did get ticketed by the rangers.

Anyways, baby bison die all the time. It would have been better if this one had gone to feed some needy predator. Help a bison calf; starve a wolf pup.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I've read that. Also the companion "Death in the Grand Canyon". Amazing just how stupid people can be.

Try "Death In The Long Grass" sometime. My all-time favorite book

 

[mom2rtk]

Try "Death In The Long Grass" sometime. My all-time favorite book

I will! Thanks for the referral. I find all of these books oddly compelling in the midst of my suburban existence.

 

[bcla]

So when I was in Yellowstone, we stopped in Mammoth for lunch. There were elk just wandering all over the parking lots, people's front yards, etc. Well, this lady who appeared to be a foreign tourist picks some grass and heads up to a friendly looking female elk. She actually got the thing to eat out of her hand! I had DH filming the whole thing from inside the restaurant because I was sure she was going to get gored. She didn't, but she did get ticketed by the rangers.

Anyways, baby bison die all the time. It would have been better if this one had gone to feed some needy predator. Help a bison calf; starve a wolf pup.

Female elk don't have horns though. It's the bulls that are the most dangerous. Females will kick though. This guy was a biologist who thought he was a safe distance before being charged. He tripped and when it got to him it tried stomping on him. It didn't stop until he stopped moving.

http://www.endeavornews.com/news/2009-07-18/outdoors/069.html

And feeding is a bad idea. This elk got so used to people that someone managed to spray paint it and wrap it up in a Halloween costume and safety vest. It also preferred to sleep on porches instead of in the woods. Then it attacked people - possibly when it didn't get a handout. This piece also uses a pretty good term to describe what was the issue was with the bison calf in Yellowstone. It wasn't simply accustomed to people, but "imprinted" on humans.

http://ken-carylranch.org/the-dangers-of-getting-too-comfortable-with-wildlife/

The biggest problem wasn't if this bison calf died. The biggest problem would have been if it survived via handouts.

 

[PollyannaMom]

The solutions are fine the people who do stupid things or to close the National parks.

I think closing the parks over this incident would be a ridiculous overreaction, but I'm all for fines (or, if necessary, ejections from the park) and extra rangers to enforce that.