Between the bullets and the bison.

The world's oldest national park was the scene of deadly conflict this winter, as animal rights activists on snow-mobiles dodged hunters' bullets to protect Yellowstone's bison -- the last unfenced, free-roaming herd in the US.

Bison (also called buffalo) traditionally leave Yellowstone during winter to forage in the lower valleys fringing the park. In the century since the park was established, however, these lands have been used by ranchers for summer cattle grazing.

Montana's Department of Livestock (DoL) contends that these wandering bison expose ranchers' cattle to brucellosis, a disease known to cause spontaneous abortion in infected cattle and a debilitating chronic fever in humans. The DoL claims that containing the disease requires the elimination of any bison that stray from the park boundaries. In 1997, the DoL killed 1,088 bison -- one-third of Yellowstone's herd.

This winter, Buffalo Nations, a coalition of native and animal-rights activists, gathered at the park boundaries to drive the bison away from the guns of the DoL's marksmen -- employing civil disobedience tactics more commonly associated with campaigns to protect whales and old-growth forests.

On January 21, two Buffalo Nations activists were cited for trespass after attempting to interfere with DoL capture of bison. The next day, a Buffalo Nations volunteer chained his neck to a livestock trailer holding four captured bison that were being sent to slaughter.

On January 29, Buffalo Nations co-founder Michael Mease and a fellow activist risked their lives by driving snowmobiles between wandering bison and the rifles of the Do:'s gunmen.

In February, sic bison -- three cow-calf pairs -- were shot while five other bison were captured and sent to slaughter.

Meanwhile, the DoL has come under fire for driving confused bison through residential areas and, on one occasion, opening fire on bison in heavy fog -- while activists and others stood dangerously near the line of fire.

Less than half of the meat from "infected" bison killed in 1996 was sent to food banks, homeless shelters and Native American communities. The Associated Press revealed that the DoL made $150,000 auctioning the rest of the meat to slaughterhouses, for eventual sale as "beef" jerky and hamburger to consumers in Texas, New Jersey and California.

Relations between Montana state officials and National Park staff are strained at best. On one occasion, when a Park ranger asked a question about brucellosis testing, a DoL agent snapped, "We are not giving any information to you bleeding-heart liberals."

An Inflated Threat

The risk of brucellosis transmission from bison to cattle is extremely small. The disease is transmitted primarily through contact with aborted fetuses and placentas. Bison bulls and calves pose no threat to livestock even if they are infected, which makes shooting them unnecessary. Bison cows are less likely to abort due to brucellosis than are domestic cattle. If they do abort, they do so several months before cattle are released onto public lands for summer grazing. Scavengers and weather remove Brucella bacteria long before any cattle are released on these lands.

Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt has called for an end to Montana's buffalo war, noting that no cattle had ever been infected by Park bison. A 1998 National Academy of Sciences report concluded that the possibility of brucellosis transmission from bison to cattle was extremely unlikely. Ironically, the DoL's extermination campaign increases the likelihood of transmission, as the bison are often held in pens near cattle. In addition, the DoL has left bison entrails behind on private lands where cattle, pets or children can get at them.

Alternatives to Slaughter

Several long-term strategies have been proposed to minimize risk to Yellowstone's bison while addressing concerns about brucellosis. The National Parks & Conservation Association and the Greater Yellowstone Coalition advocate creating a series of quarantine bondaries following traditional bison migration patterns. Ranchers near the park, many of whom are sympathetic to the plight of the bison, have offered to vaccinate their cattle against the disease. Expanding the bison's range through buyouts of private lands and conservation easements has also been suggested.

The Inter-Tribal Bison Cooperative [PO Box 8105, Rapid City, SD 57709, [phone]] -- which coordinates bison restoration and ranching efforts among 40 member tribes throughout the west and Alaska-advocates a controlled hunt whenever bison numbers outstrip the range's carrying capacity, and humane relocation of stray bison.

Activists agree that any brucellosis control plan must make infected elk a priority. There are 30 elk for each bison in the Greater Yellowstone Area and elk are more likely to be infected with brucellosis.

As Michael Mease put it: "Until buffalo are treated like all other wildlife and their fate is no longer controlled by the Montana DoL, Buffalo Nations will be here to protect our children's heritage."