American Bison
The state Department of Livestock has hazed about 110 bison into Yellowstone National Park from private land. Board of Livestock executive director Christian Mackay says all the bison that were on Horse Butte are back in the park. He says enough snow had melted to conduct the operation safely and there was enough green grass for the bison to eat. Thursday’s hazing came a day after cattle ranchers went to court to compel the Livestock Department to move the animals back into the park. A federal-state agreement calls for killing or removing bison that migrate outside the park to prevent the spread of brucellosis, a disease that can cause cows to abort their calves. The property owners had said they didn’t want the bison moved, because no cattle are grazing in the area.