Date: May 19, 2008
Contact: Al Nash, 307-344-2015
Contact: Stacy Vallie, 307-344-2015
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Yellowstone National Park
P.O. Box 168
Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 19, 2008 08-034
Al Nash or Stacy Vallie (307) 344-2015
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YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK NEWS RELEASE
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Bison Heading Back To Summer Ranges
Bison image
Winter is finally releasing its grasp on Yellowstone National Park. Recent warm temperatures and abundant sunshine have led to rapid snowmelt and new spring plant growth.
Grazing wildlife including elk, pronghorn and bison have started moving back to the interior of the park to their higher elevation summer ranges.
The improved conditions allowed park managers to open the gates to the corrals at the Stephens Creek bison capture facility northwest of Gardiner, Montana, this morning.
About 300 bison are headed south toward Mammoth, and then east into the Lamar Valley or south toward Fountain Flats, the Central Plateau, and Hayden Valley.
The majority of the bison released this morning had been held in the Stephens Creek facility since early April for release at spring green-up in order to protect Montana’s brucellosis-free status without sending the bison to slaughter.
The park operates the Stephens Creek facility under the Interagency Bison Management plan in conjunction with state and federal partners to conserve a viable, wild bison population and manage the risk of transmission of brucellosis to livestock.
The temporary closure of the area around the Stephens Creek facility will be lifted in a few days once all the bison have left the area.
– www.nps.gov/yell –
Producers/Editors note: Digital stills of today’s bison release will be available upon request after 2:00 p.m. MDT today.
