Bison relocation proposal Yellowstone National Park

Representatives from the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks met with the Environmental Quality Council this morning to talk about the proposal to relocate bison from Yellowstone National Park.

FWP says the plan is to move the bison to specific parts of the Montana landscape, such as state wildlife management areas or tribal lands. They say its part of the effort to preserve the bison and expand their management plan.

“The purpose is to a conserve genetically pure bison genes that we have and we need to find a place to do that in the interim while we're developing a statewide comprehensive plan on what future is there for bison in Montana,” says Joe Maurier, Director of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

But there has been opposition to the plan. Some fear the bison will spread brucellosis to cattle. Representative Mike Miller says some of his constituents don't want the bison in their area.

“They don't believe that Fish, Wildlife and Parks can adequately contain them, they're concerned that just having bison in the area can negatively impact the price they receive for their cattle by five cents, ten cents a pound possibly,” Miller says.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is taking public comment on the bison relocation plan until five o'clock this Wednesday, October 19th.

Story by Drew Steele, Beartooth NBC.
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