Crews herd bison into Yellowstone sanctuary

BILLINGS – Wildlife officials made a last push Tuesday to get bison back into Yellowstone National Park before the animals face possible slaughter if caught outside park boundaries.

Over the past several weeks, hundreds of bison have been hazed from an area around West Yellowstone, Mont., and back across the park line by state and federal wildlife agents using horses, helicopters and trucks.

Many of the animals turned around and left the park again at night or when the hazing let up.

On Tuesday evening, a crew in a helicopter was attempting to push a final group of 25 bison about a mile and a half into the park in the hope that they would not exit again, said park spokesman Al Nash.

Beginning today, bison found outside Yellowstone can be rounded up and shipped to slaughter under a plan state officials say is needed to prevent the spread of disease to livestock.

Some Yellowstone bison carry brucellosis, which causes infected cows to abort their offspring.

State and federal officials planned a conference call today to decide if slaughtering will begin immediately or if hazing will be extended.

“We’re trying to avoid all that grim press and public relations, but we’re also trying to protect our landowners,” said George Harris with the Montana Department of Livestock.

“Fewer (bison) are coming back and more are sticking in the park, so that’s a very positive sign.”

Glenn Plumb, Yellowstone’s chief of natural resources, said park employees would attempt to steer bison toward water and grazing areas inside the park to deter them from leaving.

Yellowstone’s 3,600 bison make up the world’s largest surviving herd after settlers killed millions of the animals in the 1800s.

The practice of slaughtering some of the few that remain sparked a Congressional hearing in March during which House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall of West Virginia called for an end to their “murder.”

State officials say they have no choice but slaughter until all bison are given a brucellosis vaccine – an option considered too costly and impractical at present.