More Yellowstone bison sent to slaughter

BILLINGS – One hundred more bison have been captured at Yellowstone National Park and 31 were shipped to slaughter Tuesday under a program to prevent the spread of disease to livestock.

The bison were captured Monday after being hazed around the north edge of the park. They were placed in the Stephens Creek holding facility, park officials said Tuesday.

So far this winter, 175 bison have been slaughtered in Montana as part of a state and federal effort to reduce the risk of spreading brucellosis to cattle north of the park. The contagious disease, which can cause abortions in pregnant bison, elk and cattle, was first brought to the region by European settlers and is now endemic to Yellowstone’s bison.

Critics say the slaughter program is too harsh since no bison-to-livestock brucellosis transmissions have been recorded. They say alternatives to slaughter, such as a vaccine, should be pursued more aggressively.