Editor:

AP reporter Becky Bohrer has misinformed Casper Star-Tribune readers. Reporting that 44 percent of slaughtered Yellowstone bison "had" brucellosis is completely false. The brucellosis blood tests only determine the presence of antibodies - exposure, not infection. If brucellosis was the issue (it is not) and had the agencies wanted to find infection, they would have performed culture tests. When reporters take only the propaganda of the Montana Department of Livestock, they're bound to feed readers haystacks of lies.

The slaughtered bison of America's last wild herd should still be alive, and more than half would be if the buffalo were tested prior to slaughter. The Park Service and DOL have shamefully stolen this living heritage and spun the truth to ensure the cattle industry maintains a stronghold on our public lands.

Further, after killing nearly 1,000 wild buffalo, Yellowstone officials captured 300 more and confined them in the Stephens Creek bison trap for nearly a month during calving season. Confining and stressing the animals during a time when transmission is possible is a sure-fire way to increase the risk. The imprisoned bison were not tested before being released.

Wild bison have never transmitted brucellosis to cattle. Bulls, yearlings and non-pregnant buffalo cannot transmit the disease, while pregnant buffalo pose only a theoretical risk. Meanwhile, where brucellosis transmissions have occurred, Wyoming and Idaho, it was due to transmissions from elk that utilize feedgrounds. Both states have lost their brucellosis-free status, yet neither have any desire to shut the feedgrounds down, nor are they suffering the grave economic consequences that livestock interests whine about.

Actions demonstrate that the war against bison is about grass, not disease. The only sensible thing to come of the injustice to bison is Gov. Schweitzer's attempts at cattle-based risk management. Removing cattle from the winter range of native bison is an applaudable, real, first-step solution.

Our wild heritage is being destroyed based on lies for greed. We should demand thorough, investigative, fact-based reporting from the media. Bison slaughter is bad enough without journalists who blindly accept agency and industry spin.

STEPHANY SEAY, West Yellowstone, Mont.

Buffalo Field Campaign

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