More than one-third of bison captured sent to slaughter

By SCOTT McMILLION, Chronicle Staff Writer

The number of bison captured in Yellowstone National Park continues to rise, and now stands at about 300.

Of that number, 126 have tested negative for exposure to brucellosis and are being held in a corral northwest of Gardiner.

Another 124 have been shipped to slaughter.

The other 48 to 50 animals are awaiting brucellosis-exposure tests, which will determine their fate.

This year, Yellowstone is holding negative-testing animals until spring, to keep them from wandering out of the park.

Biologists in the park said earlier this winter that they didn't expect to hold more than about 125 animals. That level already has been reached, but park spokeswoman Cheryl Matthews said Wednesday that the corral's capacity is larger than had been believed.

Extra acreage has been enclosed, new fences have been built and none of the park's cantankerous mature bulls -- huge animals that easily can, and do, destroy fences -- have been captured this year.

"It will be decided on a case-by-case basis if we hold more" bison, she said.

Of the animals testing negatively, calves and non-pregnant yearlings are being vaccinated for the first time this year.

The goal of the program is to reduce the threat of brucellosis spreading to cattle, although such an incident has never occurred in the wild.

The park's herd numbered about 4,200 animals earlier in the winter. About 7 percent of them have been captured so far.

Scott McMillion is at scottm@dailychronicle.com

Reader Comments