BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — One of the last and largest wild bison populations in North America has begun its migration out of Yellowstone National Park into southwestern Montana, where they are being hunted and face government-sponsored slaughter as part of a population reduction program.
Hundreds of the animals have moved in recent days into the Gardiner basin along the park’s northern border, Yellowstone spokeswoman Morgan Warthin said. The animals leave the park in winter to graze at lower elevations.
Capturing the bison for possible shipment to slaughter “could happen at any point given the large number of bison in the basin,” Warthin said.
Because this year’s migration occurred late, the park has only a narrow window to capture animals before the weather warms and they return to higher elevations inside the park, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks regional supervisor Mark Deleray said Wednesday.