Yellowstone Announces They Will Not Implement Remote Bison Vaccinations

Yellowstone National Park has released a statement they will not be participating in efforts that extend remote vaccinations to bison populations.

Released by the National Park Service, the Final Environmental Impact Statement on the Brucellosis Remote Vaccination Program for Bison shows the park’s preferred alternative is to continue syringe vaccinations for bison calves and yearlings that are captured in the park’s northern boundaries. The alternative was for park officials to implement a remote vaccination program, which would have been a costly 30-year ordeal.

Instead, the park’s services has decided to forgo expensive alternative remote vaccinations, especially since the brucellosis vaccination only reduces the disease is small numbers, showing no significant impact on overall bison conservation efforts. Their current efforts have already decreased the chances that local livestock will come in contact with this infectious disease.

Brucellosis is a disease that can cause pregnant elk, cattle and bison to spontaneously abort their young. Originally, cattle brought this disease with them when the west was settled centuries ago. Subsequently, this disease was then transmitted to local bison and elk populations. Over the course of several years, many elk and bison have been exposed to this contagious bacterium within the 28,000-square-mile Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Many people and groups support this preferred treatment method, which includes the Intertribal Buffalo Council, IBMO Citizen’s Working Group and many nearby Native American tribes.

Experts believe the current bison vaccination program has been successful and will continue to be so. However, the Superintendent of Yellowstone National Park will be using several recommendations and analyses to make a final recommendation directly to the National Park Service Intermountain Regional Director, who is expected to issue a decision soon.

Yellowstone Holiday is located just outside West Yellowstone, Montana. With easy access to Yellowstone National Park’s west entrance, visitors flock to this West Yellowstone campground that offers RV sites and cabins.

Activities abound nearby and include the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center, the Museum of the Yellowstone, Wild West Yellowstone Rodeo, Yellowstone IMAX Theater, Grand Teton National Park, Quake Lake and Big Sky resort.

Located on the shores of Hebgen Lake, this premiere RV park features natural trails, hiking, biking and superb wildlife watching opportunities.