NRDC Reaction to Proposed Slaughter of Yellowstone Bison

BOZEMAN, MT (November 19, 2015) -- Following is a statement from Matt Skoglund, Director of the Northern Rockies Office at the Natural Resources Defense Council, in response to the proposal made under the Interagency Bison Management Plan to kill roughly 1,000 wild bison through both hunting bison and also trapping bison for shipment to slaughter:

"It's time to stop shipping bison to slaughter and give them access to year-round habitat in Montana. This proposal reinforces the need for the Governor to make a final decision and put into place the plan to expand wild bison habitat in Montana. This would be a huge step in the right direction, as it would allow bison to access important habitat outside the Park and improve the ability for bison to be managed like other wildlife in Montana."

The federal, state, and tribal partners that are responsible for the management of Yellowstone’s wild bison population under the Interagency Bison Management Plan (IBMP) are holding meetings in Montana today. Yellowstone's iconic wild bison are central to the long-term conservation of the species, as they are a large population and the only continuously wild and free-roaming population in the U.S.