More than 45,000 Americans volunteered to assist the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona to kill hundreds of bison bulls, which authorities accuse of destroying the region's natural resources. According to the British newspaper "The Guardian," the park management approved a plan to reduce the bison herd near its northern edge and published a notice seeking 12 skilled hunters. Within two days, over 45,000 volunteers applied, with 15% coming from Arizona, while a third of the applicants were from Texas, California, Colorado, and Utah.
The newspaper noted that park officials will select 25 names through a lottery and then notify the finalists. Caitlin Thomas, a spokesperson for the Grand Canyon National Park, stated that "the first 12 people who provide the information requested by the park will be part of the volunteer program in the fall."
The hunters face a challenging task as they will need to hunt the large bulls on foot in snowy areas, at an elevation of 2,438 meters, where no transportation can be used. They will also need to transport the bison carcasses, which can be very heavy, with a single bull weighing up to 2,000 pounds. Each volunteer will be required to complete a training course on firearm safety and pass a shooting proficiency test.
