ALSO VISIT

Rep. Maurice Hinchey today told the House of Representatives that residents and observers have complained that the Parks Service has been deliberately directing American Bison out of Yellowstone National Park, into the surrounding territory, where they are then captured and slaughtered. It has been alleged that the Parks Service has been "hazing" the bison, even shooting at them from helicopters, to drive them into unprotected lands where they can be legally hunted. Some 277 have been slaughtered this spring alone, more than 3,500 since 1985.

American Bison were hunted almost to extinction, and the current Yellowstone herd was bred from only 23 animals. According to the Human Society, "As the last continuously free-roaming herd of genetically pure wild bison, many consider them to be a national treasure." Rep. Hinchey, along with Republican co-sponsor Rep. Bass seek to pass an amendment on the current Interior Appropriations Bill. HR-3446, proposed by Hinchey and Bass, would prohibit the hazing, killing and/or slaughter of Yellowstone bison by surrounding authorities, absent certain narrow conditions.

Rep. Denny Rehberg of Montana opposes the proposed Amendment on the grounds that the Yellowstone bison herd needs thinning, and that overpopulation and overgrazing are jeopardizing the long-term ecological sustainability of the park itself. He argued that icon-worship was leading to overzealous conservation policy. He alleged that the Parks Service has been neglecting the problem of overpopulation.

Rep. Hinchey had already cited studies showing there was in fact no ecological threat from the Yellowstone herd. Mr. Rehberg was rebuked in debate and forced to admit that he has not supported the natural solution to overpopulation, the re-introduction of the wolf into the bison habitat.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich added to the debate the analysis of an expert from Texas A&M University who said that the "so-called random shooting" of bison on the Park's periphery was eliminating "entire maternal lineages". The loss of distinct maternal lineages is depleting the gene pool of the only remaining genetically pure herd of wild bison, leading to the possibility that the species will be irreparably altered, equating to the loss of the historic species, even if the remaining population were to be saved. [For more: HSUS]