Guide to Yellowstone and Grand Teton

A herd of Yellowstone bison that strayed out of the park are safe… for now.

The management of Yellowstone’s bison population – currently hovering around 4000 – continues to be one of the region’s most contentious issues. Those against culling bison who stray out of the park boundaries scored a major victory this week when Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer promised to ship a group of 300 bison back south deep into the park as opposed to corralling them and sending them off to slaughter as planned — against the wishes of the state’s powerful ranching industry, which fears the possible transfer of the disease brucellosis to local cattle. Timing seems to have played a major role in the decision, as bison typically migrate north during the frigid winter months in search of accessible grasses. But this herd strayed north numerous times during the spring, and now that the tourist season has begun, officials backed away from plans to kill 300 of the park’s mascots and the negative publicity that would follow. Whether or not the decision signifies an overall policy change remains to be seen.

For more updates, check in with the Buffalo Field Campaign, an organization dedicated to ending the slaughter of area bison. Or, for a different (and certainly more entertaining) point of view, check out the take of local writer Skyblu.