Yellowstone begins bison captures as it seeks to cull herd

YELLOWSTONE (AP) - Yellowstone National Park has started capturing bison migrating outside the park and will hold them for possible slaughter as part of a population reduction program.

Park spokeswoman Linda Veress said the annual capture operation began Sunday.

It involved an unspecified number of bison entering the Gardiner Basin along the Yellowstone-Montana border.

State and federal officials want to reduce Yellowstone's bison herds this winter by up to 900 animals under an agreement intended to shield Montana’s cattle industry from the disease brucellosis.

The park has about 4,900 bison.