Julie A. Barr, KLJ Staff Editor
Vacationers may soon be able to add beefalo hunting to their Grand Canyon National Park bucket list. These animals, a crossbreed of cattle and bison, have taken up residence in what has for years been a safe and protected home. But recently, the large numbers of these animals have proven extremely detrimental to the land and other wildlife in the Park.[i] The deleterious impacts include overgrazing of the grass and overwhelming scarce and precious water sources.[ii] Some Native American groups have also reported that the animals have destroyed ancient ruins in the area.[iii] A lack of predators has allowed these animals to multiply in an area that is simply unable to accommodate them.[iv]One of the answers to combatting this growing population of animals might be to allow people to hunt the animals inside this federally-protected area.[v] As the formal owner of the bison population in the state, Arizona issues the permits required in order to hunt the animals outside the Park.[vi] Inside the boundaries of the Park, however, the National Park Service (NPS) maintains control.[vii] NPS’s primary directive is to protect the particular ecosystem of each national park.[viii] Because of the beefalo population’s negative impact on the ecosystem, hunting these animals could be one of the best options in order to preserve the grandeur of the Grand Canyon.[ix]There are plenty of people who oppose hunting these animals, however, including many Native American groups.[x] Hunting the beefalo is not the only available option, either.[xi] Less violent options include attempts to corral or enclose the population, or to somehow give the beefalo a form of contraception.[xii]If the hunting option should prevail, shooting one of these coveted, 2000 pound animals will come at a high price. Arizona residents might pay over $1000, and non-residents could pay over $5000, just to shoot one bison.[xiii] And, lest vacationers think otherwise, hunting bison is far from an easy task – these animals can clock in at forty miles per hour.[xiv] An ultimate decision as to the best solution is still looming. [xv] So for now, hunters might not want to book a flight to the Grand Canyon until they know for certain whether they will get a