Nearly 1,000 bison at Yellowstone National Park are scheduled to be slaughtered, shot, or relocated amid overgrazing concerns due to a recent population boom.
Park officials and tribal entities negotiated a deal Wednesday to control the park’s bison population by allowing them to be hunted, slaughtered, or quarantined through the winter months.
Typically, Yellowstone’s bison population migrates north into Montana for the winter. The overpopulated animals could potentially spread brucellosis, a bacterial that can potentially cause spontaneous abortion, or stillbirth. As of early December, there have not been any recently reported cases of bison transmitting the disease in the wild.
There are roughly 5,450 bison living in Yellowstone National Park. Officials say reducing the population by 600 to 900 would prevent mass starvation of other animals in the region.
Good morning from @AltYelloNatPark pic.twitter.com/aYmWZ1feoH
— AltYellowstoneNatPar (@AltYelloNatPark) December 4, 2021
“Doing nothing is not a realistic option,” according to the National Park Service. “Allowing the bison population to grow indefinitely will cause overgrazing and possibly mass starvation of animals in Yellowstone, as well as larger migrations and greater conflict outside the park.”
The National Park Service’s website also addresses concerns of brucellosis among the creatures, mentioning that up to “60 percent of Yellowstone bison test positive for exposure to brucellosis.”
Buffalo are today at roughly 3/100 of 1% of their traditional population
Of the 11,000 remaining genetically pure animals
900 are about to be slaughteredA coalition of Native American tribes stand in opposition
And we stand with them @SecDebHaalandhttps://t.co/gjpNby80mR
— AltYellowstoneNatPar (@AltYelloNatPark) December 4, 2021
The decision to shoot or slaughter an animal that faced threats of extinction just over 100 years ago is being met with harsh criticism from those who believe relocating the animals is a feasible option.