Agents Push Bison Back Into Park
BILLINGS - State and federal wildlife managers began hazing hundreds of bison back into Yellowstone National Park Tuesday ahead of a May 15 deadline, after which any bison outside the park likely will be sent to slaughter.
2 May 2007
1 minute read
For the first time in recent years, bison had been allowed to linger outside the park this spring, on U.S. Forest Service land about 10 miles north of West Yellowstone, Mont., said Melissa Frost with the Montana Department of Fish, Parks and Wildlife.
Because they carry brucellosis, and ranchers are concerned it could be spread to cattle, the bison must be off that land and any private property outside the park so cattle can return to their summer ranges in the West Yellowstone Basin.
"Any bison outside of the park after May 15 will likely be lethally removed," Frost said.
Yellowstone's 3,600 bison make up the world's largest surviving herd of the animal. The practice of slaughtering the animals sparked a congressional hearing in March during which the Democratic chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, West Virginia Rep. Nick Rahall, called for an end to the "murder" of bison.
State officials contend that when hazing the bison fails, they have no option but slaughter given the threat brucellosis poses to the cattle industry. Brucellosis causes cattle to abort. Widespread vaccination of bison is not considered feasible because of the potential cost and difficulty of vaccinating every bison.
For more information on Brucellosis, click here.
