Protections For Bison in Yellowstone? It’s Yet To Be Decided
This decision would be a massive move forward, not only for the national park right now, but for protecting wildlife in the future.
KBZK is reporting that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the federal agency administering the Endangered Species Act will start a year-long revisory process. What are they deciding? If the bison in Yellowstone should be protected.
They're conducting this in-depth review of Yellowstone bison because multiple groups have come forward and argued that the bison in the park are threatened, and the lack of diversity could lead to disease.
As of right now, state, federal, and tribal management make joint decisions concerning bison management. Some people worry about the possibility of increased bison populations transferring brucellosis, a harmful bacterial disease usually found in wild animals, to local livestock.
Those who support the protection of bison argue that the elk in the Yellowstone region are more of a threat to livestock than the bison—at least in terms of brucellosis.
This scenario is a back-and-forth situation that will be a heated debate well into the summer of 2023. Both sides have valid arguments about Yellowstone Bison and how they should be cared for in the foreseeable future.
In the past few years, federal, state, and tribal officials have handled bison in Yellowstone efficiently. There haven't been any problems when they cull the herd every year.
Should the Yellowstone bison be protected? Probably. Bison used to be in the hundreds of thousands, but now there are a little over 5,000 left. Maybe we should take better care of the bison in Yellowstone.��
The bison provide us, locals, with many laughs every summer when tourists try to pet them (hopefully without any harm done). We should take care of them.
For more details, check out KBZK.