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Tag: Beefalo

  • Grand Canyon Hybrid Bison On a Tear

    Grand Canyon Hybrid Bison On a Tear

    Over 350 hybrid bison have been on a rampage in the northern region of Grand Canyon National Park, and the herd has been tearing up vegetation, impinging on the native habitat of the endangered Mexican spotted owl, knocking down Native American cliff dwellings and befouling the water supply by using it as a toilet.

    The animals were originally introduced to northern Arizona in the early 1900’s, and have made their way past the boundaries of the Grand Canyon. The state of Arizona legally owns the herd as it exists outside of the park, but the bison are now almost exclusively living within the borders of the national reserve. The wily bison were brought to the region to be crossbred with cows for ranching operations, to produce hybrids known as beefalo or cattalo.

    Beefalo are a fertile hybrid combination of domestic cattle and the American bison, created to combine the characteristics of both species for beef production. Beefalo are primarily cattle genetically, and typically maintain only 37.5% bison DNA. Animals that have gained more bison genes over generations are known as “bison hybrids.” These bison no longer resemble cattle, but still maintain roughly ten percent cattle DNA.

    Here are some more genetically-aligned beefalo/cattalo grazing:

    Creating beefalo has proven to be a serious setback to wild American bison conservation. Most current buffalo herds are genetically polluted or partly crossbred with cattle, and only four purebred American bison herds remain in the United States.

    Federal and state wildlife officials are weighing methods to control the herd residing in the park, where they are protected by law, allowing for a free-range population that can be taken by huntsman on nearby forested areas. On Wednesday it was announced that three meetings on the matter will be held in southern Utah and Arizona, along with a 60-day scoping period.

    Grand Canyon Superintendent Dave Uberuaga commented, “It’s the first step in a long process today. We’re just trying to get it out there and get it on everybody’s radar screens.”

    Bison can weigh more than a ton, and can run as fast as 40 mph. Uberuaga noted that present management methods which include baiting, hazing, fencing and relocating the bison and shooting them has proven ineffective in controlling the Grand Canyon population.

    Officials from the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service expect to have a plan concerning the wayward herd to be issued by fall, 2016.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Grand Canyon Bison Are Out Of Control

    The Grand Canyon is being taken over by bison that park officials say are causing damage and unsanitary conditions. A large herd of 400 bison currently graze within the boundaries of Grand Canyon National Park. This herd is actually made up of hybrids. Cattle and buffalo have been crossbred to create beefalo or cattalo.

    The bison were introduced to northern Arizona in the early 1900s and those that currently live outside the Grand Canyon National Park are maintained by the state of Arizona. In the past a few of the bison would occasionally wander into the park, but now the entire herd is attempting to make their home there.

    Although the bison are docile, they are extremely hard on the park and are polluting the waters with their waste, trampling plants and vegetation and destroying other areas of the park. The bison have gotten so out of control that Federal and state officials are trying to find ways to control them and remove them from the park.

    If the bison population continues to grow, the park could be overrun with the animals. Relocating them to a location where they could be hunted would help control the population and protect the park from damage.

    Several public meetings have been planned to discuss the possible options for relocating the animals and controlling the population. Birth control has not proven effective at preventing the animals from reproducing so rapidly and officials are hoping that the public may have some better ideas.

    Officials from the National Park Service, Arizona Game and Fish Department and U.S. Forest Service are hoping to create a plan soon and to start relocating the bison and controlling the population by 2016.

    What do you think is the best way to control the bison population and prevent the animals from damaging the Grand Canyon National Park?

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Grand Canyon Bison Wreaking Havoc

    How do you manage a herd of about 400 bison? That’s what the National Park Service is trying to figure out.

    This massive gang of beefalo – a hybrid of cattle and buffalo – is taking over the northern reaches of the Grand Canyon. The concern is that they are causing destruction and unsanitary conditions.

    Along with trampling vegetation and grazing on pristine meadows, the bison have actually caused some serious damage and major causes for concern. The animals defecate in lakes polluting water sources, have trampled into Mexican spotted owl territory, have turned lush meadows into nubs, and even knocked over walls at American Indian cliff dwellings below the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

    Federal and state officials have announced three public meetings in which residents of the area are invited to share their ideas on how to manage the huge animals. The meetings are scheduled for April 28 in Kanab, April 29 in Flagstaff, and April 30 in Phoenix. Online meetings are also set to take place.

    What you could expect to see at the Grand Canyon:

    The population of the hybrids has dramatically increased because they moved to an area in which hunting is illegal. The Arizona Game and Fish department was able to keep the pack down to about 100. With the herd moving over to the Grand Canyon, however, things changed because hunting is prohibited at the national park. Now the group has more than tripled.

    Officials at Yellowstone National Park are also revisiting the current bison management plan. Although herds have inhabited the area since prehistoric times, there is concern about disease transmission from the bison to Montana livestock.

    Expected proposed methods to manage the livestock include baiting, hazing, fencing, relocating the bison, and shooting them. Officials state that birth control has not proved to be an effective method in the past.

    Image via YouTube