Lawsuit Questions Why Bison Are Being Killed National Wildlife Federation Seeks Yellowstone Information

The National Wildlife Federation is suing to force a federal agency to explain why bison wandering out of Yellowstone National Park are being shot.

The lawsuit claims the federal Animal and Plant Health and Inspection Service refused to provide information about the slaughter despite a federal law requiring it to respond to such requests.

“We’re not talking about national military secrets or who shot JFK,” federation attorney Jay Tutchton said. “What are they trying to hide?”

Federal officials declined comment Wednesday because they had not seen the lawsuit.

About 1,100 Yellowstone bison that wandered out of the park into Montana in search of forage during the hard winter have been shot or sent to slaughter this winter as part of a campaign to preclude the spread of brucellosis to domestic livestock. The disease causes cows to abort.

It is believed a large part of the Yellowstone bison herd has been exposed to brucellosis, which also is prevalent among elk.

But the wildlife federation, animal activists and others say there never has been a case of wildlife spreading brucellosis to cattle in the wild.

According to the lawsuit, the government is considering rules giving it new control over wildlife, contrary to its congressional mandate. And the federation has been blocked from responding to the proposed rules by the government’s refusal to turn over information, the lawsuit says.

Montana officials also have blamed the federal government because its agriculture rules force the state to prevent the spread of brucellosis.

Ranchers in Montana and other states bordering Yellowstone fear their brucellosis-free status could be revoked if the bison are not controlled, subjecting the ranchers to costly quarantines and testing.

A Yellowstone biologist said an aerial survey in March showed 1,089 bison, down from the 3,500 counted in the fall.