Bison Update: We did it!
Jamie Rappaport Clark, Defenders of Wildlife
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We did it! Yesterday, I had the honor of witnessing the herd of wild Yellowstone bison as they took their first steps onto the tribal lands of Fort Peck Indian Reservation in northeastern Montana.
It was an amazing journey for these bison -- some of North America's most important biological and cultural animals. Many thanks to the tireless efforts of Governor Brian Schweitzer, the tribal communities of Fort Peck Indian Reservation, our conservation partners -- and especially the thousands of Defenders supporters like you who made this possible.
We'll have more coverage of this historic event in the coming days. In the meantime, please read my most recent blog post on the relocation of these iconic animals.
-- Jamie |
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Dear Patrick,
I have some exciting news.
Soon, 65 wild Yellowstone bison will thunder across tribal lands in Montana for the first time in more than 100 years.
Thanks to the support of people like you, Defenders helped secure the relocation of these iconic animals from a 5-year captivity to the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. Now, these bison need your help to make their epic journey.
Theirs is a tragic tale: Once numbering in the tens of millions, America's bison were hunted to the brink of extinction in the 19th Century. Of the few that survived the slaughter, only 23 truly wild bison remained in the remote valleys of Yellowstone.
Today, there are only a few thousand genetically pure, wild bison left in America. But for those living in Yellowstone, their hardships continue into modern times.
Each winter, when they descend to lower elevations outside Yellowstone National Park in search of food, these magnificent animals are hazed back into the park where food is scarce, rounded up in holding pens or even shipped to slaughter, all out of exaggerated fears that they could spread disease to cattle.
Five years ago, several dozen bison were spared from slaughter and placed in a small long-term quarantine pen. Now, after years in captivity, the last of these bison -- the "Yellowstone 65" -- will soon have a new home -- an important first step in ensuring America's wild bison have a lasting future on the Great Plains.
Over the past several years, Defenders supporters have sent more than 225,000 messages to state and federal officials urging them to do more to protect Yellowstone bison -- and find more places for these magnificent creatures to roam.
And soon, 65 bison -- one of the most important biological and cultural species in North America -- will have a new home on the tribal lands of the Assiniboine and Sioux tribes, with plenty of room to expand.
We need your help to cover costs associated with transporting these iconic animals to their new homes. Will you help make this journey possible for the Yellowstone 65?
After years of negotiation and preparation, the Yellowstone 65 will finally have more room to roam -- and become the start of an important new tribal bison herd.
Now you can help make this move a reality. Please donate now to help relocate these amazing animals onto tribal lands in Montana -- and support our efforts to protect wild bison and other wildlife.
Together, we can help restore America's wild bison -- and protect the wildlife and wild places you and I cherish.
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