AZGFD Supportive of Grand Canyon Report Listing Bison as Native Wildlife

By Justin Stakes

Report calls for proper management of bison to protect Park habitat, resources

Phoenix, AZ -(AmmoLand.com)- The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) supports the findings of a National Park Service report that considers a herd of 600 bison on the Grand Canyon National Park as native wildlife.

The report involved a collaborative review of National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service and AZGFD laws and policies to help guide Grand Canyon park officials in future bison management planning. A key finding of the scientifically reviewed report is that the bison living in northern Arizona are native wildlife within the long-term continental home range of the American bison.

“The Department is pleased with the conclusions in the report,” said Craig McMullen, supervisor for the department’s regional office in Flagstaff. “The bison are a valuable native component of the experience for visitors to the Kaibab Plateau, but there are too many right now. The ultimate goal is to manage this important bison population at appropriate levels for the enjoyment, appreciation and use by the public.”

The report also concluded that:

• Existing law and policies allow Grand Canyon National Park officials to …Read the Rest

  Source:: AmmoLand