Environment

Study shows bison from Yellowstone can be safely transferred

Friday, February 28, 2014

Bison can safely be transferred out of the Yellowstone National Park without fear of transmitting a deadly cattle disease, according to the results of a new study.

Between 2005 and 2008, more than 200 calves from Yellowstone were transported to a quarantine facility. Animals that tested positive for brucellosis were euthanized.

The animals that remained showed no signs of the disease, according to researches from the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services and the Wildlife Conservation Society. Two tests were conducted to ensure brucellosis wasn't present in the herd.

“The results of this study indicate that under the right conditions, there is an opportunity to produce live brucellosis-free bison from even a herd with a large number of infected animals like the one in Yellowstone National Park,” Dr. Jack Rhyan, an APHIS Veterinary Officer, said in a press release.

Bison from Yellowstone have been transported to tribes in Montana although ranchers and property owners tried to block the move in court. Some tribes have been able to hunt for the animals under their treaties.

The study is being published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Get the Story:
Study says park bison can be transferred (AP 2/27)