Bison Failure
Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 2:55 pm
Interesting read here IMO...
Bison in pilot program shipped back to Yellowstone
BILLINGS, Mont. – Livestock and wildlife officials captured and returned 13 wild bison Friday to Yellowstone National Park that had been allowed to roam into parts of Montana for the first time in decades.
The roundup came after the animals repeatedly left a 2,500-acre grazing area in Gallatin National Forest, crossing the Yellowstone River and entering private property.
After their capture, the animals were trucked to Yellowstone's northern border and released at a site near the town of Gardiner.
Bison have been barred for decades from leaving Yellowstone over fears they will transmit the disease brucellosis to cattle. But 25 were allowed to leave the park last week, under a pilot initiative costing more than $3 million that had been highly touted by state and federal officials.
Montana Department of Livestock spokesman Steve Merritt said the decision to move the animals back toward the park was made by the agency in conjunction with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the National Park Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
"We've given up on those 13," Merritt said.
Some bison advocates and area landowners had questioned the wisdom of moving the animals onto the Gallatin forest, saying the bison would not stay in place and the program would fail.
At least 10 bison remain on the Gallatin. One bison is at large and another was shot Monday after it entered private property.
Officials are considering whether to replace the bison that have been lost from the pilot initiative, but Merritt said no decision had been made.
He said it was possible the 10 remaining bison also could be returned to Yellowstone, depending on their behavior. So far, however, those bison appear to have stayed within the grazing area, known as Cutler Meadow.
As for expanding the area where bison can roam — a solution promoted by some bison advocates and sporting groups — Merritt said that was unlikely.
"We're trying it in one place and it's not working out quite as we hoped for," he said. "I would think we wold want to get situations like that ironed out before looking at" additional habitat outside the park.
Bison in pilot program shipped back to Yellowstone
BILLINGS, Mont. – Livestock and wildlife officials captured and returned 13 wild bison Friday to Yellowstone National Park that had been allowed to roam into parts of Montana for the first time in decades.
The roundup came after the animals repeatedly left a 2,500-acre grazing area in Gallatin National Forest, crossing the Yellowstone River and entering private property.
After their capture, the animals were trucked to Yellowstone's northern border and released at a site near the town of Gardiner.
Bison have been barred for decades from leaving Yellowstone over fears they will transmit the disease brucellosis to cattle. But 25 were allowed to leave the park last week, under a pilot initiative costing more than $3 million that had been highly touted by state and federal officials.
Montana Department of Livestock spokesman Steve Merritt said the decision to move the animals back toward the park was made by the agency in conjunction with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the National Park Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
"We've given up on those 13," Merritt said.
Some bison advocates and area landowners had questioned the wisdom of moving the animals onto the Gallatin forest, saying the bison would not stay in place and the program would fail.
At least 10 bison remain on the Gallatin. One bison is at large and another was shot Monday after it entered private property.
Officials are considering whether to replace the bison that have been lost from the pilot initiative, but Merritt said no decision had been made.
He said it was possible the 10 remaining bison also could be returned to Yellowstone, depending on their behavior. So far, however, those bison appear to have stayed within the grazing area, known as Cutler Meadow.
As for expanding the area where bison can roam — a solution promoted by some bison advocates and sporting groups — Merritt said that was unlikely.
"We're trying it in one place and it's not working out quite as we hoped for," he said. "I would think we wold want to get situations like that ironed out before looking at" additional habitat outside the park.