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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2001

Changes in the ecosystem in and around Yellowstone National Park are driving bison out of the refuge, and into the hands of state and federal officials who trap, haze and sometimes kill them.

Due to man-made snowmobile and other paths, the bison have increased in numbers in areas where they haven't been traditionally found, said a retired National Park Service biologist. This has caused the bison to steadily spill out of Yellowstone's western border.

There, under a federal plan approved by Secretary of Interior Bruce Babbitt last year, they face hazing and death. The state of Montana is allowed to kill bison if they test positive for brucellosis, which threatens the cattle population.

There are about 3,000 bison in the park, the descendants of the wild herd nearly decimated during the late 1800s.

Get the Story:
Biologist: Bison herd changing (The Bozeman Daily Chronicle 10/11)

Relevant Links:
Yellowstone National Park - http://www.nps.gov/yell

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