A man who helped a bison calf move away from the Lamar River agreed to pay more than $1,000 in fines and fees/Hellen Jack via NPS

A Hawaii man who helped a bison calf in Yellowstone National Park move away from the Lamar River was fined $500 and saddled with another $540 in fees Wednesday after pleading guilty to one count of feeding, touching, teasing, frightening, or intentionally disturbing wildlife.

Clifford Walters entered the plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick at Mammoth Hot Springs in the park, according to a park release. In addition to the fine, he was ordered to pay a $500 Community Service payment to Yellowstone Forever Wildlife Protection Fund, a $30 special assessment, and a $10 processing fee.  

According to the violation notice, on May 20 Walters approached a struggling newborn bison calf in Lamar Valley near the confluence of the Lamar River and Soda Butte Creek. The calf had been separated from its mother when the herd crossed the Lamar River, a park release said.

As the calf struggled, the man pushed the calf up from the river and onto the roadway. Visitors later observed the calf walk up to and follow cars and people. Park rangers tried repeatedly to reunite the calf with the herd, but their efforts were unsuccessful. The calf was later euthanized by park staff because it was abandoned by the herd and causing a hazardous situation by approaching cars and people along the roadway. There was nothing in the report that revealed Walters acted maliciously.

The incident Monday evening was somewhat reminiscent of an incident seven years ago when a Canadian visitor loaded a bison calf into his SUV and took it to the Buffalo Ranch in the park because he was worried it would be hit by a vehicle.

While the park was criticized for euthanizing the bison calf, it released a statement earlier this month that "[W]e made the choice not because we are lazy, uncaring or inexpert in our understanding of bison biology. We made the choice we did because national parks preserve the natural processes."

Additionally, the park said that,"[F]ederal and state regulations prohibit the transport of bison out of Yellowstone unless those bison are going to meat processing or scientific research facilities. We now have a quarantine facility so bison can go through the months-long testing protocols for brucellosis and, if negative, be used to start conservation herds elsewhere. However, the use of quarantine for a newborn calf that's abandoned and unable to care for itself is not a good candidate for quarantine."