The National Park Service signed a new bison management plan that allows for a slight increase in bison numbers in Yellowstone National Park.
The ten year average population size is about 5,000. The new plan calls for the park to manage between 3,500 and 6,000 bison after calving.
That’s up from the previous plan from the year 2000, which aimed for about 3,000 bison in the park’s boundaries. In the past decade, however, the park has averaged about 5,000 animals.
"We have come a very long way since the last bison management plan was signed in 2000," said Superintendent Cam Sholly. "This new plan solidifies much of the progress made over the past two decades and provides a foundation for future decision making. We appreciate the significant engagement on this plan by our affiliated Tribes, partners, and the general public."
The plan prioritizes a program that transfers live bison to tribal nations, as well as hunts that take place outside the park, to keep the population within the goal range. If bison numbers grow to 5,200 some will still be harvested for the Tribal Food Transfer Program that shares meat and hides with tribes. Bison that do not qualify for the Bison Conservation Transfer Program will also go to the food transfer program.
A Wyoming Game and Fish spokesperson said an increase in bison numbers would have minimal impacts in Wyoming. That’s because the bison the agency manages primarily migrate out of Grand Teton National Park.
If the bison population gets down to 3,000, the park will take actions to preserve the size of the herd, in part to maintain genetic diversity.
The state of Montana has threatened to sue the park service if the park decides on a management plan with more than 3,000 bison.
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