No doubt you heard the slaughter of many Yellowstone bison began this week.

Whatever questions you have about bison management, this amazing site can probably answer them. Here are just 5 great examples:

1. What is the Interagency Bison Management Plan? When “The Plan” was finally made up of five federal/state agencies and three tribal entities, they included groups who had battled one another for 10 years or more.

2. Why are bison killed? There are too many animals in too small of a space. Yellowstone encompasses only so much land. Also Yellowstone bison are disease-free. Letting them out of the park, there’s concern mixing with other “livestock” would spread disease.

3. Having always been our state mammal, and now being our national mammal, was there no special federal protection given to bison?  No, see National Bison Legacy Act

4. After slaughter, what happens to the meat? The tribal partners distribute the bison meat and hides to their members.

5. Why can't hunting control the population? That has not worked. Where bison can be hunted is a very small area, and bison often respond to hunting by returning to the security of the national park where hunting is prohibited.

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