Yellowstone bison calf euthanized due to human intervention

Yellowstone National Park officials had to euthanize a newborn bison cub after a park visitor tried to help the struggling animal near a river bank, but forced the herd to abandon him, officials said.

After being abandoned, the calf had to be euthanized because it was a danger from approaching cars and people on the road. The National Park Service said in a statement Tuesday..

“Approaching wild animals can dramatically affect their well-being and, in this case, their survival,” the Park Service said.

The calf separated from its mother when the herd crossed the Lamar River near the confluence of Soda-Butte Creek, according to the Park Service.

A park visitor “deliberately disturbed the calf” by pushing it off the river onto the roadway, the Park Service said. The incident occurred on Saturday evening and is currently under investigation, officials said.

Later, visitors observed the calf approaching and following cars and people, which can be dangerous for both animals and people.

“Human interference could cause wild animals to reject their offspring,” the Park Service said. “In this case, park rangers repeatedly tried to reunite the calf with the herd. These attempts have not been successful.”

On FacebookThe Park Service said the calf should be euthanized rather than sent to a shelter because it is illegal to take bison out of the park unless they are sent to a meatpacking or research facility. There is a quarantine facility for sick bison where they can be tested for brucellosis, an infectious disease, or used to establish conservation herds elsewhere if their tests for the disease are negative.

“However, using quarantine on a newborn calf abandoned and unable to take care of itself is not a good candidate for quarantine,” the Park Service wrote. “Situations like this one are challenging, but they also provide an opportunity for all of us to engage in deeper conversations about the meaning of wilderness.”

Park rules require visitors to stay at least 25 yards from all wildlife, including bison, elk, and deer, and at least 100 yards from bears and wolves. Violators can be fined and risk being injured or killed by wildlife, the Park Service said.

Officials are seeking help identifying the person who moved the calf, described as being in his 40s or 50s, wearing a blue shirt and black trousers, and have asked anyone with information to contact the park’s support line on telephone (307) 344-2132. or email YELL_Tip@nps.gov.

A similar incident occurred in Yellowstone in 2016, when two hikers put a baby bison in the trunk of their car because they thought it was cold there and took it to a ranger station. The calf was abandoned by his herd and undergo euthanasia.

According to the National Park Service, Yellowstone is the only place in the United States where bison have lived continuously since prehistoric times. Their population ranges from 2300 to 5500, depending on their breeding schedule.