For Immediate Release

Contact: Josh Osher, josh@westernwatersheds.org, 408-830-3099

Statement from Western Watersheds Project on Yellowstone Bison Management Plan 

On Wednesday, the National Park Service announced its decision on future management of bison at Yellowstone National Park. This decision comes after years of public debate and scientific research aimed at finding a sustainable and humane way to manage the bison population. In response to the announcement, Public Policy Director, Josh Osher for the Idaho-based Western Watersheds Project, issued the following statement: 

The National Park Service’s recent decision regarding the future management of bison at Yellowstone National Park is deeply disappointing. Despite claims of progress and new scientific information, this plan fundamentally relies on the outdated and inhumane practice of capturing and slaughtering bison simply for migrating to suitable habitats on public lands outside the park.

The Park Service missed a crucial opportunity to create a comprehensive and collaborative plan involving all relevant federal agencies, including the U.S. Forest Service and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Instead, they have chosen to go it alone, leaving out key components essential for true bison recovery.

This plan fails to consider opportunities for natural migration and dispersal of bison on federal lands outside the park. Instead, it perpetuates the status quo under the guise of new acronyms and programs. The reality remains that the Park will continue to control bison populations through capture and slaughter when they exceed arbitrary population objectives.

Moreover, the plan does not recognize the existence of two distinct herds within Yellowstone that each require management at levels ensuring genetic viability. The Central Interior Herd, in particular, remains at risk under this plan, facing threats that could endanger its continued survival.

Western Watersheds Project urges the National Park Service to reconsider this decision and work towards a more humane, sustainable, and scientifically sound approach to bison management that truly promotes the long-term health and genetic diversity of Yellowstone’s historic bison herds.

About Western Watersheds Project: Western Watersheds Project is dedicated to protecting and restoring western watersheds and wildlife through education, public policy initiatives, and legal advocacy. We strive for sustainable management practices that ensure the survival of native species and the ecosystems they depend on.

###