Are bison allowed outside Yellowstone National Park now?
Since 1985, few bison have been tolerated outside the park. Bison can be a threat to human safety and can damage fences, crops, landscaping, and other private property. Of more concern, however, is the threat of a disease called brucellosis. Q: What is brucellosis? A: Brucellosis is a disease caused by the bacterium Brucella abortus, which came to North America centuries ago in European cattle. Q: How does it affect the animal? A: Brucellosis can cause pregnant cattle, elk, and bison to abort their first calves after becoming infected. They will likely bear healthy calves in subsequent pregnancies. No cure exists for it, but it is not fatal. Q: Can humans contract brucellosis? A: In humans, the disease is called undulant fever or Bang’s disease. Although rare in the United States, humans can contract brucellosis by consuming unpasteurized, infected milk products or by contacting infected birth tissue. It cannot be contracted by eating cooked meat from an infected animal. Milk pasteuriz
