Lawsuit: Helicopter Bison Hazing Harms Grizzlies

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The following article is from The Missoulian:

By Rob Chaney

The Alliance for the Wild Rockies has filed a lawsuit trying to stop state and federal officials from using helicopters to haze bison into Yellowstone National Park, arguing the tactic also harasses grizzly bears.

“We have video footage from last year showing a Yellowstone grizzly bear fleeing in terror from one of these low-level helicopters,” said Michael Garrity, director of the environmental alliance. “And, according to the National Park Service’s scientific literature review of five different studies, helicopters cause grizzly bears to panic and flee ‘in nearly all cases’ and the bears never become tolerant of helicopters, even with frequent exposure.”

The Montana Department of Livestock is leading the hazing operation, which is intended to keep bison off Gallatin National Forest land north of West Yellowstone where private ranchers graze cattle. The department argues bison pose a risk of passing brucellosis to domestic cattle.

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Source:  The Missoulian

Posted by Haylie Shipp

 

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