Yellowstone starts bison cull as animals migrate to Montana

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Yellowstone National Park captured 37 bison migrating outside the park and sent most of them to slaughter under a program that seeks to prevent the animals from spreading disease to cattle in neighboring Montana.

Officials are aiming to remove up to 900 of Yellowstone’s 5,000 bison this winter to keep the park's herds from growing and prevent the spread of the disease brucellosis.

Yellowstone bison coordinator Tim Reid said Thursday that 27 of the animals captured over the past week were sent to slaughter, six will be held in quarantine for future relocation to tribal lands and four calves were released.