Harsh winter, hunting, annual cull cut Yellowstone bison population in half
GARDINER, Montana (CNN) — More than half of Yellowstone National Park’s bison herd has died since last fall, forcing the government to suspend its annual slaughter program.
Between harsh weather, hunting and an annual cull, fully half of Yellowstone National Park’s bison have died.
1 of 3 More than 700 of the iconic animals starved or otherwise died on the mountainsides during an unusually harsh winter, and more than 1,600 were shot by hunters or sent to slaughterhouses in a disease-control effort, according to National Park Service figures.
As a result, the park estimates its bison herd has dropped from 4,700 in November to about 2,300 today, prompting the government to halt the culling program early. … [more]