Clifford Walters Pleaded Guilty to Disturbing a Baby Bison at Yellowstone National Park

According to officials, Clifford Walters has admitted to disturbing a young bison at Yellowstone National Park, leading to the calf’s euthanasia.

According to a press statement from the National Park Service, Clifford Walters from Hawaii has pleaded guilty on Wednesday to one count of feeding, caressing, taunting, frightening, or willfully disturbing wildlife.

As per the park service, Walters has been ordered to pay a fine of $500 along with a community service payment of $500 to the Yellowstone Forever Wildlife Protection Fund. Additionally, a special assessment fee of $30 and a processing charge of $10 have also been imposed on Walters.

According to park officials, Walters’ actions resulted in the death of a newborn bison, although there was no evidence that he behaved deliberately. As per the National Park Service, the separation of a bison from its mother occurred subsequent to the herd’s crossing of the Lamar River.

According to the service, on May 20, Walters approached a suffering newborn calf and pushed it from the river onto the pavement.

Officials reported that the calf approached pedestrians and cars while on the road. The park authorities made multiple attempts to reunite the newborn with its herd, but were unsuccessful. The young bison was euthanized by officials due to being abandoned and posing a risk.

According to the park service, they made the decision not because of laziness, lack of concern, or lack of expertise in bison biology.

According to the speaker, the decision was made based on the fact that national parks are instrumental in conserving natural processes. The question on the minds of many is why Yellowstone did not provide care or transport for the newborn bison to a refuge.

As per the park’s regulations, it has been stated that bison can only be relocated from Yellowstone if they are being transported to either meat processing or scientific research institutions, as mandated by both federal and state laws.

According to the park service, a quarantine facility has been established where bison can undergo months-long testing protocols for brucellosis. If the test results are negative, the bison can be utilized to initiate conservation herds in other locations.

According to the source, quarantine is not a suitable option for a newborn calf that has been left alone and is incapable of self-care. In an effort to prevent future incidents, park officials have requested that visitors adhere to the established animal-handling protocols.

According to regulations in Yellowstone National Park, visitors are required to maintain a minimum distance of 25 yards from a majority of the park’s wildlife, such as bison, elk, and deer. According to park regulations, bears and wolves require visitors to maintain a minimum distance of 100 yards.

According to the National Park Service, they have stated, “Help us make it socially unacceptable to do anything else.”