A Canadian man cited by Yellowstone National Park rangers for transporting a bison calf to the Buffalo Ranch in the park was worried it would end up as "road kill" if he did nothing, according to the investigating ranger. In the end the calf wound up dead just the same, as its mother abandoned it and it "was continually approaching visitors and vehicles" and so rangers put it down.
The citation filed with the U.S. District Court office at Mammoth Hot Springs in the park identified the man as Shamash Kassam, of Quebec. According to the form, Kassam and a traveling companion encountered the calf on the park road in the Lamar Valley in the evening of May 9.
"Kassam stated that they had been on the road near the river a couple of miles east of the Buffalo Ranch and a baby bison was in the middle of the road, wet and shivering, and would not leave their vehicle for 20 minutes while they waited to see if any bison would come back for the bison calf," wrote the ranger, whose name on the citation was illegible. "After 20 minutes they still could not see any bison anywhere in the vicinity, the bison calf would not leave their vehicle, appearing to be seeking warmth from the engine, and Kassam stated he decided to pick up the bison calf, or it would have been road kill, and drive to the Buffalo Ranch and call law enforcement for assistance."
The ranger noted that he told the Canadian that park wildlife are not to be touched, disturbed or fed, "and that by removing the calf he was preventing the mother from locating it and possibly altering its ability to survive in the wild."
According to the citation, the calf was returned to a herd in the general vicinity of where Kassam said he had found it.
"I observed a mother bison with another calf, lick the bison calf and then walk towards the Lamar River with the calf following closely," the ranger wrote.
Kassam was cited for picking up and disturbing the calf, and fined $110 plus a processing fee of $25.
Comments
His heart was in the right place. The mother had provably rejected it before Mr. Kassam interfered. I don't think he should have been fined for trying to save the life of a baby animal. Euthanization was more humane then freezing to death.
But by moving the animal, even if would have eventually died, prevented other animals from benefitting from it's death. There is a reason it is called the "circle of life". One animal's death can feed other animals. Not to mention, maybe, the herd would have come back for it later.
When are people going to learn that you are supposed to look but not touch in the National Parks.
I agree with Debra. The death of that bison calf would have fed birds of prey as well as other wild animals living within the park. The national parks have these do-not-touch rules for a reason. It doesn't matter whether or not the guy's "heart was in the right place", he broke a posted rule within the park. He should have never touched the bison calf in the first place. Wildlife is, by definition, wild, unpredictable, and is not like a domestic pet. No matter how much it may tug at the human heart strings to see some creature in what we might (as humans) consider dire circumstances, we need to leave the wildlife alone, let nature take its place and follow national park rules. Otherwise, pure human ignorance and stupidity (ex. selfies with a bison, petting a bison, getting too close to a bear and her cubs) takes over and ruins it for the rest of us who actually understand why the rules are there in the first place. And if you aren't sure or don't get it, then ask a ranger to explain and clarify.
So not only does he get fined but a $25 processing fee as well. What a scam - they give you a ticket and then they want $25 to process it.
Don, with some ranchers figuring a bison calf is worth $1,400 gross, I'd say the fine is pretty low when you consider the calf had to be put down.
http://www.nebsusag.org/newsletters/feature59a.htm
It isn't a scam if you don't screw up bad enough to be cited. You feel the same way about your speeding tickets no doubt.
When a speeding ticket is issued - you pay the fine - they don't tack on another fee to process it.
Yes - don't do the crime and you dont pay the fine.
But this guy wasn't trying to comit a criminal act either - he "thoght" he was doing the right thing and being compassionate.
Yes - the fine was low - I'm just amazed they tack on a processing fee to go along with it.