Saturday, May 26, 2018

National Park Service Approves Quarantine And Transfer Of Bison To Tribes

Hundreds of bison that leave Yellowstone National Park each year are rounded up and killed to keep them from spreading brucellosis. But tribes have long wanted the disease-free bison to go to reservations. Now, the National Park Service has signed an environmental assessment that will quarantine animals for six to 12 months before releasing them into tribal care. Mark Azure with the Fort Belknap Tribe said a surveillance program to give bison to tribes has been a long time coming. The Fort Peck Reservation even built a half million-dollar quarantine facility, but still the transfer of bison wasn’t allowed. “But the tribes stood firm,” said Azure. “Now it sounds like those animals at those two facilities down there around the park, before the end of this year, will make their way up to Fort Peck.” Almost 60 bison are ready to go. Azure said tribes around the U.S. and Canada are celebrating...MORE

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