Buffalo Field Campaign
The Buffalo Field Campaign is a non-profit grassroots coalition of Native American and non-Native environmentalists formed under the leadership of Michael Mease and Lakota activist Rosalie Little Thunder to stop the slaughter of Yellowstone’s wild buffalo herd, protect the natural habitat of wild free-roaming buffalo and native wildlife, and to work with people of all Nations to honor the sacredness of the wild buffalo.
Buffalo in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem are not protected on their year-round habitat. Yellowstone Park does not provide sufficient winter range for the resident herds of wildlife. Due to the deep snow, animals are forced to leave the park in order to find adequate forage for winter survival. When the buffalo follow their instincts and migrate to lower elevations, they enter a conflict zone where the politics of Montana directly clash with their survival needs.
During the winter of 1996-97, the Montana Department of Livestock (DOL) slaughtered almost 1,100 Yellowstone buffalo when they crossed the arbitrary park boundary into the state. Ever since that winter the BFC volunteers have stood with the buffalo who are outside the park, every day from sunrise to sunset. Their daily patrols, their witness and their grassroots advocacy have made it clear to the DOL that they will be held accountable for their actions.
Over 3000 people from all over the country and around the world have volunteered to help stop the buffalo slaughter. Volunteers patrol for buffalo by skis, snowshoes, or cars. Everyone communicates by a network of hand-held radios, and also carries a video camera.
You can watch the video below and then you can go to http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org/index.html to find out more about how you can help stop the slaughter of the Yellowstone Buffalo.