Declaration Dr. Thomas H. Pringle - Buffalo Field Campaign

during summer rut season (Gates et al. 2005). Interestingly, Christianson et al. (2005)
found significant differences in incisor wear, between female bison from the northern and
central ranges of YNP suggesting limited exchange of individuals between the ranges.
Differences in incisor wear were attributed to increased levels of fluoride content in
vegetation and water within central Yellowstone’s geothermal areas (Shupe et al. 1984;
Christianson et al. 2005)
. Finally, the diverse historic origins of the Lamar Valley bison, relative to the
Hayden Valley herd, may explain, in part, the differences in haplotype frequencies we
observed here. By 1902, YNP’s wild bison herd had been reduced from 200-300, through
illegal poaching, to about 25 animals that remained in Pelican Valley. This led to a
decision to introduce 21 bison from other sources into Lamar Valley that same year
(McHugh 1972; USDOI, NPS 2000; Gates et al. 2005). However, the Hayden Valley
bison descended from a single translocation of 71 individuals from Lamar Valley in 1936
that may not have captured the range of haplotype frequencies that were present in these
bison during that time.
We also observed differences in haplotype frequencies within Hayden Valley
between two consecutive breeding seasons. However, we found strong differences
between Hayden and Lamar breeding groups for both years (Table 3-2). A few radio-
collared adult females have been observed to move between Hayden Valley and Pelican
Creek during late summer and early fall (R. Wallen, Bison Ecologist, YNP, pers. comm.
2007). Re-location data from YELL-024 (an adult female identified as haplotype 8),
reveal movements between Hayden Valley and Pelican Creek during late summer and
early fall (R. Wallen, pers. comm. 2007). The lower FST values between Mirror Plateau
39