Putting
the "Public" Back In "Public Trust"
Cherry
Picking Science and Jackson Hole Prophets
When
the Science Doesn’t Validate Your Position, Cherry Pick
Your Own
Refuting the recent media promoted feasibility quarantine study
"This isn’t ethical, responsible science (remember
the 0.0% – 0.3%?); it is cherry picking science to, “reinforce
the testing protocol framework in the USDA APHIS brucellosis eradication
uniform methods and rules.” This is a blatant effort to
impose USDA APHIS’ eradication of brucellosis in wildlife
agenda; deceiving the public that they need such draconian methods
if they are ever going to have a free-ranging wild bison population
in Montana. Except, by the time USDA APHIS and Mt DOL gets through
with them, they won’t be wild bison anymore, they will be
USDA APHIS approved cattle!
I don’t want to know where the beef is.
I want to know where the
wild bison and real science in our wildlife management is!"
RMEF's
Comment to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Regarding Elk Management
in Brucellosis Areas
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation posted their public comments to
the FWP Commission with excellent points. Thank you RMEF for standing
up for the science and wildlife management of the public trust
elk.
-
RMEF calls for research
that could lead to livestock vaccines with increased effectiveness
-
RMEF does not believe
it is possible to eradicate brucellosis in wildlife
-
RMEF does not believe
it is feasible or practical to vaccinate free-ranging wildlife
-
RMEF does not support
hunting cow elk during the third trimester, which begins on
or about February 15
-
RMEF supports the
efforts of state and federal agencies to enhance elk habitat
on public lands, including wildlife management areas, to provide
better forage for elk off of private lands
-
RMEF does not support
the testing and slaughter of elk as a means of managing Brucellosis
-
RMEF supports cooperative
approaches to keeping elk and livestock separate; however, we
have concerns about the use of game proof fencing that could
cut off natural migration corridors.
If you have not submitted
comments to the FWP Commission yet, the deadline is March 21st.
fwpcomm@mt.gov
Park
County Elk Brucellosis "Working Group"
Jackson
Hole ranchers, sportsmen and conservationists letter on elk and
bison brucellosis
"First, we
feel that if the rule changes set forth in the Federal Register
become standard operating procedure, Wyoming's Brucellosis Free
Status will be in immediate jeopardy, if these proposals are enacted,
control of the world's largest population of free roaming bison
will be essentially turned over to APHIS, a Federal agency who's
operational expertise does not include wildlife management. Third,
if these proposals are adopted, it will lead to the unnecessary
killing of hundred, if not thousands of wild bison (and eventually
elk)." They saw that coming.
Petition
to get the politics out of elk and bison brucellosis management
- National Academy of Science to conduct a review of Wildlife
Brucellosis in the Greater Yellowstone Area
If you haven't signed the petition calling for the scientific
review for our elk and bison, please do.
Chronic-wasting
study bodes ill for elk herds
- Part 7 in a series on wildlife diseases in the Greater Yellowstone
by Todd Wilkinson
"Critics say these studies
are damning illustrations of how Wyoming’s disease management
positions are radically out of step with widely held scientific
facts. They say it underscores concerns that the CWD danger posed
to huge numbers of dispersing elk in Greater Yellowstone is far
more problematic than state officials, justifying artificial feeding,
are willing to admit...While Rocky Mountain National Park has
densities reaching 115 elk per square kilometer, the densities
of elk on the refuge and Wyoming feedgrounds are orders of magnitude
greater, literally thousands of elk per square kilometer, Dorsey
says. 'This very sobering research in Rocky Mountain National
Park should serve as a warning to federal and state wildlife agencies
in western Wyoming to do what they can now to avoid such an awful
scenario,' he said. CWD is now only miles away from the elk refuge
and feedgrounds, he added. "
Dr,
Bruce L. Smith, retired wildlife biologist with the US Fish and
Wildlife Services and author of Where Elk Roam, has a website
and blog. You can subscribe
to his blog by clicking on the Blog tab and filling out the Subscription
section in the bottom right corner.
http://www.brucesmithwildlife.com/
Thank you,
Kathryn QannaYahu
406-579-7748
www.emwh.org
