Thursday, March 19, 2009
Buffalo
The short film we watched in class today was about the yellowstone buffalo. I felt it was a very powerful film, it really got its message of protecting these amazing animals across. As shown in the film, the Yellowstone Buffalo are the only free ranging buffalo in the country. Stated on the NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) website, "the yellowstone herd comprises the largest remaining population of genetically pure bison." The NRDC website also states that one of the reasons the buffalo were being killed was to protect cattle from diseases being spread from the bison. The NRDC states that there is no record of the disease being passed. Even if this is true or not I feel that the slaughtering of the buffalo needs to end. It was horrible watching these marvelous creatures being killed like they were nothing.
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I can appreciate the message presented in the documentary to preserve the buffalo population, however, the film failed to point out that human culling of the herd is actually a preservation measure. The ecological balance in Yellowstone has been destroyed through poor management decisions made by the National Park Service since 1918. Although Yellowstone is a large National Park, it does not have the range to sustain large herds; and with the elimination of main predatory species in past NPS policies it has become necessary for humans to reduce the population. Without herd reductions there would be mass winter starvation and this would dramatically reduce the overall health of the species. Nature is an ever changing entity, and one must acknowledge that destruction and death, to a degree, are important in maintaining balance. Leopold alludes to these ideas strongly in “A Sand County Almanac”. And just in case anyone is curious to know more about Yellowstone management, might I suggest reading “Playing God in Yellowstone” written by Alston Chase.
ReplyDeleteOn this particular issue, I agree with Jacob. Watching this movie was entirely depressing. What was done to these buffalo was undeserving entirely. This film was slightly odd, but it focused on the emotional appeal of the viewer. Taking this approach, for me, is the perfect way to hit home and make one realize the severity of the problem; which this film most definitely did!
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