1.8 Brucellosis in Yellowstone Bison

Brucellosis has been known to exist in the bison of Yellowstone National Park (YNP) since 1917 and in the elk of the Greater Yellowstone Area (GYA) since the 1930s. Numerous intermittent efforts during the time between 1935 and the 1970s have been made by USDA and state animal health officials to gain cooperation of the National Park Service (NPS) to control and eradicate brucellosis from YNP bison. More diligent efforts have been continuous since 1988.

Until 1967, NPS officials conducted population controls of both bison and elk in YNP to maintain the population of bison and elk within the "carrying capacity" of the park (425 bison and 3,500 elk). These controls included capture and slaughter of bison, and the shooting of bison and elk. In addition, bison were tested periodically and reactors removed. YNP officials removed bison from the park and transferred ownership of YNP bison to other federal agencies and to private citizens. Some of these transfers were made without regard to the disease status of the bison.

In 1967, NPS initiated a policy of "natural regulation" (hands off management) within YNP. The bison population in YNP was 397 head in 1967. The bison population in YNP has been reduced from an estimated 3,500 head in 1996 to approximately 1,700 head as a result of the destruction of approximately 1100 head and the starvation of approximately 1000 head in YNP during the winter of 1996/1997. The current population in GYA consists of 2,5000 bison and 120,000 elk. The Grand Teton National Park contains 250 bison.

Brucellosis infection in cattle, resulting from exposure to brucellosis-infected wildlife, may not be discernible for many months after the exposure occurred. The end result could be transmission of brucellosis to herds in a number of states. Without brucellosis eradication, efforts to set aside additional lands outside YNP are deceiving to the public and dangerous to domestic livestock and should be discouraged.

The President should delegate authority and responsibility for animal disease control over livestock, and animals carrying disease which may affect livestock, to APHIS, the agency specifically established for that responsibility. APHIS should be involved in the effort of eradicating brucellosis from the wild populations of bison and elk living within the Greater Yellowstone Area (GYA). The NPS should take responsibility for managing the wildlife, implementing a brucellosis management plan for bison and other species located in Yellowstone-Teton National Parks, and other parks in the system, and maintaining numerically, biologically, and genetically viable bison populations in the parks that will maintain the brucellosis Class Free status of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, thus protecting the ability of livestock producers to freely market and buy livestock, eliminating brucellosis-related risks to public health.

NASDA urges the Administration to direct Agriculture and Interior to collaborate with state agencies to address Brucellosis in wildlife in the GYA and to provide sufficient resources to control and elminiate Brucellosis from wildlife of the GYA.