How long have Yellowstone’s bison been managed for brucellosis?
During the 1940s and 1950s, Yellowstone National Park managed bison with the goal of eliminating brucellosis from bison in the park. By the early 1960s, biologists recommended stopping the program because they determined the only way to eliminate the disease would be to eliminate the entire bison population. Brucellosis again became a major management focus in 1985 when the state of Montana attained brucellosis class-free status. Planning for bison management began in 1989, when state and federal agencies agreed to develop a long-term management plan to cooperatively manage bison. Q: What agencies are involved in bison management? A: Because the livestock industry’s concerns about brucellosis center on wildlife and their threat to domestic livestock, traditional boundaries between managing wildlife and domestic animals become blurred in bison management. In Yellowstone National Park and the state of Montana, bison management involves five federal and state agencies—each with differing
