SENATE TO HOLD HEARING ON BISON SLAUGHTER BILL

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, March 6, 1996

CONTACT:

D.J. Schubert, (202) 588-5206
Heidi Prescott, (301) 585-2591

WASHINGTON -- On Thursday, March 7, at 9:30 AM, the Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Parks, Historic Preservation, and Recreation, will hold hearings on S. 745 in Room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Building. The Subcommittee has invited wildlife biologist D.J. Schubert of The Fund for Animals to testify on the merits of S. 745 and its effects on bison, brucellosis, and Yellowstone National Park.

S. 745, introduced by Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT), would require the National Park Service to capture, test, slaughter, or sterilize all Yellowstone bison infected with Brucella abortus, to quarantine non-exposed bison, and to shoot any bison who could not be captured over a three-year period. The bill is a response to livestock industry fears that bison will spread brucellosis to cattle. While Brucella abortus is the bacteria that causes the disease brucellosis, there has never been a documented case of bacteria transmission from bison to cattle under natural conditions.

"This legislation is an extreme and unfortunate response to a campaign of fear and paranoia being waged by the livestock industry," says Schubert. "S. 745 would turn Yellowstone National Park into nothing more than a bison ranch."

Schubert will testify that S. 745 would among other things:

• Result in the slaughter of thousands of Yellowstone bison without valid justification, and may not succeed due to the potential for reexposure by elk;

• Result in actions which are inconsistent with the clear intent of the Yellowstone National Park enabling legislation and the National Park Service Organic Act;

• Cost millions of taxpayer dollars to capture, test, slaughter, sterilize, or quarantine bison, while decimating law enforcement, nature appreciation, visitor services, and research;

• Preclude any objective environmental impact or scientific analysis of the proposed plan;

• Exclude the American public from participating in the decision-making process; and

• Nullify ongoing agency decision-making processes, including efforts by the Greater Yellowstone Interagency Brucellosis Committee, which will result in a more humane and scientifically sound solution to this issue in the near future.

To see a copy of D.J. Schubert's testimony, click here.

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