Conflict Without Resolution

Post by Clemson undergraudate Sara Jayne Wint

When I first think of threatening disease, my mind immediately goes to illnesses that result in death. But in the GYA, one of the most controversial diseases to beef cattle only affects them for one to two years. Caused by the bacterium Brucella abortus, brucellosis results in an abortion of a calf- the cattle rancher’s source of income. As Druska Kinkie made clear, many ranchers only get paid once a year for their calf crop. If a cow aborts its fetus, all the labor and resources spent on that cow is practically wasted as there will be no profit made from her that year, let alone the rigorous and expensive quarantine procedures following the incident.

When Kinkie spoke about the threat of brucellosis, she went through the history of Yellowstone National Park’s wildlife and the past decade of political struggles. The most surprising aspect of the brucellosis debate was the elk. From class, I was under the impression that the bison were the main source of transmission. Kinkie said that there was a time when seeing an elk was a rarity and a moment of humility, but today, hundreds of elk venture far out of Yellowstone and stay there during calving season. Listening to Kim Szcodronski speak on the research that has been conducted over the past decade was astounding proof for me to believe that elk are the issue. The evidence showed how the elk populations have drastically increased, the feeding grounds in Wyoming have disrupted their natural behavior, and the elk have become accustomed to human interaction. It was interesting to find out that the feeding grounds are leading to unnatural “mega herds” of elk which, in turn, drastically increase the transmission risk of brucellosis and have changed their behavior so drastically that they no longer find shelter to give birth.

Kinkie also explained that even though the elk pose a major disease risk, the cattle ranching area surrounding Yellowstone in which wildlife are known to migrate, known as the Designated Surveillance Area, undergoes rigorous testing for brucellosis, which results in economic consequences. This was further confirmed by Senator Pat Flowers, who said the ranchers in the DSA use more economic resources on added precautions during the four months of the year that elk are at an increased risk to abort and spread the disease, along with keeping cows separated from other possible exposures, such as neighbors, and marketing issues they may face.

A major conflict that arises is how to deal with the wildlife that leaves the park. Ranchers want elk off their property and to stay in the park in order to prevent Brucellosis from being contracted in their herd. Hunters want the elk’s numbers to remain abundant. Conservationists don’t want to interfere with the well-being of the animals. Tourists and people who move to Montana want to see the diverse fauna of the western United States. This creates tension between the groups that, in my opinion, is partly due to a lack of communication, and partly because everyone is trying to achieve their own goal. Senator Pat Flowers put it best when he said that getting all groups of people to sit at a table and have a conversation, let alone agree, is the most challenging part of the brucellosis issue.

From all the discussions we have had over the past few days, I have come to the conclusion that the elk need to be contained in order to protect the surrounding ranches and their livelihood. However, with their numbers climbing and their insensitivity to human interactions, I have no idea how to manage the wildlife that escapes Yellowstone National Park. And while I hate to end on such uncertainty, I feel as if I came out of the discussions with a greater sense of understanding and a better ability to listen to people from all sides of any issue.