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February 1, 2000
MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF LIVESTOCK CONTINUES TO HAZE BUFFALO BULL even though there is no chance he could infect cows with brucellosis, which can only infect females.  Even so, there has never been a case of brucellosis from even a female buffalo (aka bison) infecting domestic cows.  Click here for information from the Buffalo Field Campaign.

DOL agents on three snowmobiles hazed this bull on national forest land for the third day.  It was not clear whether they were trying to drive him back into Yellowstone Park or capture him.  What was sure was that they were forcing him to use up his fat reserves that would enable him to survive the winter.

One of the DOL agents knocked down activist Althea Rightsell with his snowmobile when she approached to ask a question. DOL officials also seized a Buffalo Field Campaign video that documented their actions.   Click here 162 to read press release from the Buffalo Field Campaign, which also has background on this issue.

January 29, 2000  Click here to read about the sad fate (due to environmentally harmful human activities) of grizzly and black bears and their long peaceful relationship with Oweekeno people.  This is rather long but describes the sweet relationship between the Oweekeno and the bears.  Sad, but well worth reading. (from Seattle Times by Alex Tizon)

January 29, 2000
CHINA HAS BANNED THE CAPTURE OF ITS WILD BIRDS.  This is good news from the country that exports more captive wild birds than any other.  This regulation supersedes an earlier one in 1988 which  forbade capture only during the nesting season and was not enforced.

January 28, 1999
WOLVES RETURN TO NORWAY OF THEIR OWN ACCORD,  but not everyone is happy about it.  Farmers, who are heavily subsidized by the government,  attribute most sheep losses to the wolves although weather, wolverines and bears are responsible for some of them.  Environmentalists want the wolves, who are listed as "highly endangered", to be protected, but some farmers are keeping their rifles handy.  The single pair that moved in from Sweden in 1997 has expanded to 18 animals.  Norway has no suitable wild areas to which they could be moved.

January 7, 2000                         
YELLOWSTONE BUFFALO DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN MONTANA AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO BE RESOLVED?  The state has insisted that all bison leaving the park be shot, or in some cases, trucked to slaughterhouses, while federal authorities have proposed more benign management options.  Earlier talks broke off after they reached an impasse.  A federal court has now ordered Montana  to meet with federal  officials to reconsider non-lethal alternatives.  Meanwhile,  Buffalo Field Campaign volunteers (250 strong last winter) are preparing  to protect the animals by herding them away from the state Department of Livestock capture corrals.  They were on the job, often in bitter winter weather, for seven months last year.  Their address is POB 957, West Yellowstone 59758; website Buffalo@wildrockies.org.  Donations help these hardy volunteers to survive and function effectively at temperatures well below zero F.