Ted Turner Bison: Judge Rules He Can Keep Bison Calves

A judge in Gallatin Country, Montana ruled that billionaire Ted Turner will be allowed to keep his Yellow Stone National Park bison calves.

The judge tossed out a lawsuit brought against the Department of Fish and Wildlife and Parks for striking a deal with Ted Turner allowing him to keep bison calves for taking care of the animals for a 5-year period.

The lawsuit was brought against DFWP by four animal rights groups who feel the privatization of a public animal is wrong. The lawsuit says the bison should be moved back to public land or the DFWP should pay Ted Turner to take care of the bison rather than trade the bison calves as compensation.

Animal and bison advocacy groups protested the fact that DFWP is allowing a public animal to be privatized. The Galveston County Daily News says the deal between Ted Turner and the DFWP over the bison "transferred dozens of bison to Turners private ranch near Bozeman to be taken care of for five years. In exchange, Turner gets 75 percent of their off spring, or about 150 animals."

According to ABC News the judge dismissed the lawsuit because she could not make a ruling based on the opinion of the animal rights group.

"The court cannot substitute its judgment for that of the agency by determining whether the department's decision was correct," ABC News reports the judge as saying.