Hawaii Man Pleads Guilty to Interfering with Baby Bison at Yellow Stone National Park

A Hawaii man has entered a guilty plea after deliberately disturbing a baby bison in Yellowstone National Park, resulting in the rejection of the calf by its herd, as confirmed by park officials, according to USA Today.

The Wyoming District Office of the U.S. Department of Justice revealed on Wednesday that the individual had pleaded guilty to a charge of willfully disturbing wildlife by engaging in actions such as feeding, touching, taunting, or frightening it.

According to the violation notice, on May 20, 2023, the Hawaii man allegedly pushed the newborn bison calf out of the river and onto the road, separating it from its mother as the herd crossed the Lamar River.

Regrettably, park authorities could not successfully reunite the calf into the herd. Due to being abandoned by its herd and posing a safety risk by approaching vehicles and pedestrians on the roadway, the calf had to be euthanized, as stated in the official release.

The investigation did not uncover any evidence indicating malicious intent on the part of the individual, according to the press release.

As part of the legal consequences, the Hawaii man has been fined $500 and ordered to make a $500 donation to the Yellowstone Forever Wildlife Protection Fund.

Additionally, he must pay a $30 special assessment fee and a $10 processing fee, as outlined in the press release.

Yellow Stone National Park Explained Their Decision to Euthanize the Baby Bison

Due to federal and state regulations prohibiting the transportation of bison beyond the park boundaries unless, for specific purposes such as meat processing or scientific research, Yellowstone National Park authorities have justified the decision to euthanize a calf rather than to relocate it to a sanctuary, HuffPost noted.

In response to this incident, the park administration issued a statement emphasizing the importance of maintaining a minimum distance of 25 yards from all wildlife and at least 100 yards from bears and wolves.

Yellowstone National Park has been no stranger to encounters between visitors and bison, as documented by previous incidents. Just last year, a bison calf injured a tourist, and the following day, a 71-year-old woman was attacked and gored by another bison.

In a separate incident in 2016, a father and son from Canada took it upon themselves to rescue an abandoned newborn calf by placing it inside their SUV out of concern for its well-being, per KSL.

The individual later pled guilty and was fined $235, along with a court order to donate $500 to a nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving the wildlife in Yellowstone National Park.

Why Did the Herd Leave the Baby Bison?

Dr. Jeff Martin, head of the Centre of Excellence for Bison Studies at South Dakota State University, claims that people have historically been bison's principal predators, altering the animals' behavior towards human interaction.

Because of their acute sense of smell, bison can identify the human scent on a baby bison's fur and reject it as a potential threat.

Bison are naturally suspicious of humans and look out for the herd's welfare over their own, according to Martin.

He emphasized that despite the herd mentality that many associates with bison, they are still wild animals and one of "the largest land mammals on this continent."

Calves can weigh up to 500 kilograms, whereas bulls can weigh up to a ton, as mentioned by Martin. He urged visitors to keep in mind that the animals they see in national and state parks are not pets and should always be handled with respect.

He cautioned against trying to help or going too close to them, saying it was risky for humans and animals.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

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