Defenders' Experts
Bison Management and Policy
Defenders of Wildlife is working to end the slaughter of bison near Yellowstone National Park.
Yellowstone National Park’s bison herd is the most important and only large wild free-roaming herd in the nation, and one of only two herds that are genetically pure descendants of the great herds of bison that used to blanket the western landscape. But that doesn’t stop the Montana Department of Livestock, Yellowstone National Park, and other state and federal agencies from slaughtering them when they roam out of the Park in search of food to survive the winter, and enter the state of Montana.
They claim to fear that cattle could be infected by bison carrying the disease brucellosis, although there are no known cases in the wild of brucellosis passed by bison to domestic cattle. Defenders of Wildlife is working to end this ongoing national tragedy.
At the insistence of Montana stockgrowers, bison continue to be hazed, captured and killed every winter and spring. In the winter of 2007-2008 over 1,100 of Yellowstone’s bison were killed. This is the largest bison slaughter since the 1800s.
Background on the slaughter of Yellowstone's bison
Defenders' Comments on Bison Policy and Management
Letter to Montana Gov. Schweitzer urging action to end hazing and killing of Yellowstone's bison (5/14/2008)
Comments on Horse Butte allotment
Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Yellowstone Bison
Federal Actions Related to Bison
Yellowstone Bison Record of Decision on Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge Bison Plan
Defenders Position on Yellowstone Bison
The fact that the state and federal agencies have shipped more than 1,100 bison to slaughter during the winter of 2007/2008 once again highlights the fact that the current management of Yellowstone bison is not working and we must come up with a better solution.
Defenders is closely monitoring the situation and working with other conservation groups and state and federal officials on different approaches to solve this problem.
Defenders believes that there are several key components to improving this situation and are working to achieve these goals:
- maintain a wild, free-roaming bison herd throughout the greater Yellowstone ecosystem, including on national forests adjacent to Yellowstone National Park.
- Emphasize the acquisition of key winter range from willing sellers through purchase or conservation easements and create incentives to encourage landowners to modify livestock operations to increase winter forage opportunities for bison.
- Recommend mandatory vaccination of cattle within and immediately adjacent to the special management area.
- Support more research on brucellosis.
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