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BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — 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.
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.
Whether the bison being hazed Monday will stay in Yellowstone depends on the availability of spring forage there, said George Harris with the Montana Department of Livestock.
For several weeks, state and federal officials had been hazing bison off private land and onto portions of the Gallatin National Forest or into the park, Harris said. The hazing that began Monday — and is expected to last several days — is intended to give the animals a final push into Yellowstone.
About 400 to 500 bison were in the West Yellowstone Basin prior to the start of Monday’s hazing, Frost said.
During the winter of 2005-2006, more than 1,000 bison heading to less-snowy, lower elevations outside the park were captured and slaughtered following unsuccessful attempts to force them back into Yellowstone. That number dropped to just two bison killed this winter, as milder weather and other factors allowed most to remain in the park or designated areas of the Gallatin forest.
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.
Whether the bison being hazed Monday will stay in Yellowstone depends on the availability of spring forage there, said George Harris with the Montana Department of Livestock.
For several weeks, state and federal officials had been hazing bison off private land and onto portions of the Gallatin National Forest or into the park, Harris said. The hazing that began Monday — and is expected to last several days — is intended to give the animals a final push into Yellowstone.
About 400 to 500 bison were in the West Yellowstone Basin prior to the start of Monday’s hazing, Frost said.
During the winter of 2005-2006, more than 1,000 bison heading to less-snowy, lower elevations outside the park were captured and slaughtered following unsuccessful attempts to force them back into Yellowstone. That number dropped to just two bison killed this winter, as milder weather and other factors allowed most to remain in the park or designated areas of the Gallatin forest.
