| Yellowstone Bison Slaughter
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| News
Article 2/25/04 |
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| Bison
captured in park headed for slaughter
By Mike Stark
Billings Gazette Staff
February 25, 2004
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Twenty-six
bison that were captured on the north end of Yellowstone
National Park last weekend will be shipped to slaughter
today.
The 26 tested positive on Tuesday for exposure to brucellosis
and will be handed over to the Montana Department of Livestock
to be taken to a slaughterhouse, according to Cheryl Matthews,
a Yellowstone spokeswoman.
The bison were among 33 captured in Yellowstone on Saturday
as they neared the northern border. Seven did not show
signs of exposure to the disease, according to park officials.
Those seven, which include an adult female and six calves
and yearlings, will remain at the Stephens Creek pen and
will be released this spring.
Meanwhile, park officials said 12 more bison were captured
Tuesday. By early evening, about 33 more had been taken
into the pen, according to the Buffalo Field Campaign,
a bison advocacy group.
The bison capture is part of a federal and state effort
to keep Yellowstone bison from spreading brucellosis,
a highly contagious disease that can cause abortions,
to neighboring cattle.
Although that kind of transmission hasn't been documented
before, supporters of the plan say the hazing and capturing
of bison is necessary to reduce the risk.
The issue tends to come to a head in the winter when bison
wander west and north out of Yellowstone in search of
food and lower elevations.
In recent weeks, a crust of ice 4 to 8 inches thick is
making it harder to bison to find food on the north end
of Yellowstone.
"The rain has compacted the snow in the park and
started forming that ice layer," Matthews said, "so
it's harder to get that available forage."
Park Service officials on horseback have hazed bison further
into the park about 10 times this winter, she said.
"But there comes a point where that's no longer effective,"
she said.
As part of the state and federal plan, bison on the north
end of Yellowstone can be captured before they leave the
park because there are cattle just beyond the border,
Matthews said. On the west side, there is more leeway.
Bison that are captured are tested for signs that they've
been exposed to brucellosis. Those that test positive
are shipped to slaughter. Those that test negative are
held in the pens until the spring and then released.
Last year, 231 bison were shipped to slaughter after they
were captured on Yellowstone's north end. Earlier this
week, 18 were captured outside Yellowstone's western border
and 10 were sent to slaughter. When that happens, the
meat, heads and hides are donated to tribal and social
service organizations.
It's possible that more bison could be captured this winter.
Matthews said there are an estimated 150 to 180 bison
in the northern area of the park.
The calves and yearlings that tested negative Tuesday
will be vaccinated for brucellosis as part of a new program
in the park.
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