Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Suzanne Lewis announced today that bison have continued to migrate near Stephens Creek along the northern boundary of the park and capture operations have begun as part of the Interagency Bison Management Plan (IBMP). The IBMP, signed in December 2000, brings together three federal and two state agencies whose goals are to preserve a viable, wild population of Yellowstone bison; reduce the risk of transmission of brucellosis from bison to cattle, maintain the brucellosis class-free status for the state of Montana; and protect human life and/or private property. The agencies involved in IBMP include the U.S. Department of Interior’s National Park Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and the State of Montana’s Departments of Livestock and Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

Under the IBMP, a variety of methods are used along the north and west boundaries of the park to manage the distribution of bison and to maintain separation of bison and cattle on public and private lands. The IBMP also allows for some bison to remain on certain public lands adjacent to the park where cattle are not grazed.

In the first phase of management, the park hazes bison approaching the north boundary to keep them inside the park and away from cattle grazing adjacent to the park. However, after attempts at hazing the bison become ineffective and unsafe, it may become necessary to begin capturing the animals. Hazing has occurred over the past several weeks on numerous occasions. Hazing will continue when feasible, but capture operations may also continue.

On Saturday, February 21, 2004, thirty-three bison were captured at the Stephens Creek facility. The bison will be held and tested for exposure to brucellosis. Bison testing negative will temporarily be held (up to 125 bison) for release back into the park in the spring. Any bison that tests positive for brucellosis exposure will be consigned to the State of Montana for transport to slaughter. Meat, heads and hides of bison taken to slaughter will be donated to Native American groups/individuals or social service organizations.

This year park staff will begin long-term brucellosis vaccination of seronegative bison yearlings and calves being held at the facility. Implementation of a vaccination program, as called for in the IBMP, is expected to reduce the sero-prevalence rate of brucellosis in bison.

An early winter count shows approximately 4,200 bison in the population.

Information provided by the NPS