(Credit: the Wildlife News, screenshot, highlight added)

Wildlife news site The Wildlife News apologized and retracted a July 26 story claiming the state of Idaho killed a bison.

The Wildlife News also published a statement from The Nature Conservancy about the bison’s killing that dismissed any claims that The Nature Conservancy was involved.  A Google search indicates the original story, “The Nature Conservancy Allows Idaho’s only buffalo to be killed,” has been removed.

The Nature Conservancy identifies itself as “the leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people.” The Wildlife News identifies itself on Twitter as “news and commentary on wildlife and public land issues in the Western United States.”

The statement from the Nature Conservancy reported that the bison was killed by “an employee of the Idaho Department of Agriculture” on “the major highway running through the valley toward Yellowstone,” but not “on Nature Conservancy property.”

The Conservancy, which said it “has long been a leader in bison management and conservation,” added:

“The Conservancy was not responsible in any way for the killing of the bison.  Our staff and volunteers in Idaho are saddened about this unfortunate situation and the death of the bison…Further, neither the Conservancy, nor any of its employees or volunteers had anything to do with the decision to kill the bison.”

The statement was also published on The Nature Conservancy’s website.

We have written to The Wildlife News and The Nature Conservancy for comment and will update with any response.

Update: 7/28/2012 12:27 PM EST: Fixed timestamp.

Update: 8/5/2012 10:38 PM EST:  Added info about the Wildlife News. Also:

The Associated Press reported that a second bison was killed days after the aforementioned one, also near Yellowstone National Park.  The AP reported that the bison were killed by “Idaho officials…citing concerns over the spread of brucellosis to cattle…Brucellosis can cause pregnant animals to miscarry their young.”