Large bison herd a threat to Canyon

Our management strategies must be guided by science, not sentiment or politics

When it comes to iconic imagery, bison seem right at home at the Grand Canyon. Who wouldn’t get excited about snapping a few pictures of bison — aka buffalo — during a trip to the North Rim? But the buffalo aren’t doing the Grand Canyon National Park any good.

The herd that is lustily multiplying at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park today descended from animals introduced in the early 1900s.

Managed for years as a game species on land outside the park, this herd now spends most of its time within the boundaries of the park where hunting is not permitted.

Dealing with the increasing size of the herd has been controversial. Some — including members of Arizona’s congressional delegation — have argued it should be culled by hunters, even though hunting is not allowed on national parks.

There is also controversy over the question of whether buffalo belong in Arizona.

Long considered non-native, the report “Grand Canyon Bison Nativity, Genetics and Ecology,” issued by the National Park Service last year, called them “native wildlife” to Arizona.

This year, the Park Service is shopping an environmental assessment with a preferred alternative that would maintain a herd at the North Rim, but reduce its size through hunting and relocation.

The buffalo at the Grand Canyon are multiplying in unsustainable numbers, according to biologists charged with protecting the health of the park.

The so-called House Rock herd is descended from those bison brought to northern Arizona in 1906 for what last year’s report called “ultimately failed domestic production.”

The domestic production may have failed, but the bison are thriving.

In the 1990s, there were about 100 animals. Now, there are 400 to 600 buffalo roaming, wallowing in streams and making little buffaloes.

That’s at least twice as many as the Park Service now recommends for the North Rim.

Unless something is done, there could be 800 Grand Canyon bison in three years and as many as 1,500 in a decade, according to the Park Service’s Environmental Assessment.

“Under these circumstances, the National Park Service is concerned about the potential for increasing impacts from the House Rock bison herd on park resources and values,” according to the Park Service.

Buffalo degrade the habitat for other species by contributing to soil compaction, erosion and contamination of water sources.

The Park Service worked with other agencies, including the Arizona Game and Fish Department, to come up with a plan to reduce the herd to about 200 animals in three to five years.

Yes, it involves corralling and relocating animals. Yes, it involves killing animals. And yes, the plan responds to political pressure.

Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake and Rep. Paul Gosar — all Republicans — have proposed measures to mandate culling the herd through hunting.

The Park Service appears to be directly responding to their wishes, even though the bills didn’t pass.

But the plan outlined in the environmental assessment should not be simply dismissed as caving in to political pressure.

The decision to maintain a herd within the park is also a nod to the popularity of this animal with tourists and others who see it as a redemptive symbol.

After being wantonly slaughtered down to a few animals in the 19th century, buffalo benefited from conservation efforts. Now there are thousands of herds across the country.

Unfortunately, the herd at the Grand Canyon represents a growing problem.

It would be a shame if the Park Service’s preferred alternative for reducing bison overpopulation at North Rim of the Grand Canyon was stymied by sentiment instead of being informed by science.

Nor should it be dismissed as pandering to powerful political figures. It is a reasonable proposal. Because this is public land, the publicland managers are seeking comments on their plan.

A series of meetings are planned beginning today, from 6-8 p.m., at the DoubleTree by Hilton, 1175 West Route 66, Flagstaff.

Two more meetings are planned: 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Ben Avery FacilityActivities Center, 4044 W. Black Canyon Blvd., in Phoenix; and 6 to 8 p.m. (Utah time, or 5 to 7 p.m. Arizona time) May 23 at the Holiaday Inn Express and Hotel, 217 South 100 East, Kanab, Utah.

Public comments will also be accepted until June 7 at parkplanning.nps.gov/ grca_bison or by mail at Grand Canyon National Park, P.O. Box 129, Attn: Bison Management Plan EA, Grand Canyon, AZ, 86023.