Yellowstone Initiates Criminal Investigation On The Release Of Bison

The Yellowstone National Park has initiated a criminal investigation into the release of bison from a quarantine facility. Early Tuesday morning, park officials discovered 52 bison missing. Park officials said the bison were able to leave the containment area through a cut fence, suggesting someone explicitly freed the bison.

The animals had been in containment for almost two years to ensure that they were free of brucellosis, a disease that can cause livestock to miscarry. The disease-free bison must be held for up to two years before they are certified as disease-free. Morgan Warthin, Yellowstone’s public affair specialist, said the hope was for these bison to be eventually transferred to the Fort Peck Tribe in northeastern Montana.

http://wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/yellowstone-initiates-criminal-investigation-release-bison