Copyright © 2002 NLThomas
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During an operation outside of West Yellowstone on Wednesday, state and federal agency representatives implementing the Interagency Bison Management Plan captured 15 bison. Six bulls, two yearlings and seven cows were captured.

A total of 21 bison were at the Horse Butte area on Wednesday morning. Two of those were not captured since they were marked as having previously tested negative; and four could not be captured.

The target population of the Yellowstone National Park bison herd is 3,000. Currently, the herd number is approximately 3,400, which does not include the spring calf count. When the herd size is greater than 3,000, the Plan does not require bison to be tested for the disease of brucellosis to determine if they will be removed from the herd. However, the 15 captured on Wednesday will be tested, and those that test negative will be marked and released. Test results will be available on Thursday.

In the last five years, approximately 3,000 bison have successfully been moved back into YNP boundaries after they entered the State of Montana, and less than 140 were captured, tested positive for the disease of brucellosis and removed from the herd.

Montana gained brucellosis-free certification in 1985, an effort that took 30 years and more than $30 million to accomplish. Brucellosis causes undulant fever in humans, and causes animals to abort. Brucellosis was discovered in YNP bison upon first testing in 1917, and it has existed since as a self-perpetuating disease in the herd.

The Interagency Bison Management Plan was developed to reduce the risk of transmission of brucellosis from bison to cattle, and maintain a viable, free-ranging herd of YNP bison. The Plan is implemented by the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S.D.A. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and Montana Department of Livestock.

A protester that locked himself to the temporary capture facility at the Horse Butte area was arrested by the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office Wednesday morning.

GCSO and Montana Highway Patrol provided law enforcement and traffic control during the operation on Wednesday.