Yellowstone National Park Begins Heartbreaking Capture Of Bison For So-Called Population Control; Hundreds Will Be Sent To Slaughter

On Sunday, Yellowstone National Park started capturing bison migrating from the interior of the park into the Gardiner Basin, and may continue to do so through late March. Tragically, the captured bison will be held, most-likely for slaughter, as part of a so-called population reduction program.

As per a statement on the Yellowstone National Park website, Bison operations at Stephens Creek happen on behalf of all Interagency Bison Management Plan (IBMP) partners, which include federal, state, and tribal groups. In December 2019, IBMP partners agreed to a 2020 winter operations plan that recommends removing 600 to 900 animals from Yellowstone’s estimated population of 4,900 bison. Last winter, a total of 460 bison were removed from the population.

Sadly, the population of bison will be reduced using the following three methods: by public and tribal hunting outside the park; by capturing bison near the park boundary and then transferring them to Native American tribes for processing and distribution of meat and hides to their members; and a more “humane” quarantine program that results in brucellosis-free bison being moved to tribal lands.

Located in the northern section of the park near Gardiner, Montana, the Stephens Creek administrative area includes park corral operations, equipment storage, a native plant nursery, and the bison capture and quarantine facilities. The administrative area is closed to the public year-round.

Ask Yellowstone National Park to stop capturing and killing Yellowstone’s bison, please call the Park’s Superintendent Service Office at (307) 344-2003 or email yell_public_affairs@nps.gov.

You can help all animals and our planet by choosing compassion on your plate and in your glass. #GoVeg