Deal Enables Yellowstone To Slaughter Up To 1,300 Wild Bison
- 7 years ago
A deal has been reached to proceed with the mass slaughter of as many as 1,300 wild bison in Yellowstone National Park.
A deal has been reached to proceed with the mass slaughter of as many as 1,300 wild bison in Yellowstone National Park.
According to the Associated Press, Montana Governor Steve Bullock has lifted the temporary ban he had imposed after coming to an agreement with the park to spare 25 bison for Native American tribes interested in growing their herds.
In a letter dated January 19, Bullock ordered park superintendent Dan Wenk to halt slaughter activity which is carried out to manage expanding bison populations and to reduce the threat of a disease called Brucellosis.
As a Bozeman Daily Chronicle report states, “Brucellosis can cause cattle to miscarry, and most of the bison in the park are believed to have been at least exposed to the disease.”
The governor had reportedly been concerned about the fate of 40 bison that had been earmarked for Native American tribes but were potentially going to be killed due to concerns they carried Brucellosis.
However, the recent agreement says that 25 bulls will be quarantined for a year to monitor for diseases then be sent to the Fort Peck Reservation.
While the National Park Service acknowledges that these mass slaughters are controversial, they argue that it is a necessary practice to protect cattle and reduce the risk of overgrazing which could cause other Yellowstone animals to starve.
A deal has been reached to proceed with the mass slaughter of as many as 1,300 wild bison in Yellowstone National Park.
According to the Associated Press, Montana Governor Steve Bullock has lifted the temporary ban he had imposed after coming to an agreement with the park to spare 25 bison for Native American tribes interested in growing their herds.
In a letter dated January 19, Bullock ordered park superintendent Dan Wenk to halt slaughter activity which is carried out to manage expanding bison populations and to reduce the threat of a disease called Brucellosis.
As a Bozeman Daily Chronicle report states, “Brucellosis can cause cattle to miscarry, and most of the bison in the park are believed to have been at least exposed to the disease.”
The governor had reportedly been concerned about the fate of 40 bison that had been earmarked for Native American tribes but were potentially going to be killed due to concerns they carried Brucellosis.
However, the recent agreement says that 25 bulls will be quarantined for a year to monitor for diseases then be sent to the Fort Peck Reservation.
While the National Park Service acknowledges that these mass slaughters are controversial, they argue that it is a necessary practice to protect cattle and reduce the risk of overgrazing which could cause other Yellowstone animals to starve.