Plan Seeks to Stop Killing of Bison

Federal officials fleshed out a plan to reduce the killing of bison that roam from Yellowstone Park, saying that over a third of the herd had died already this winter. Deep snows drove the bison from the park in search of food, and more than 700 have been intentionally slain, as the state of Montana has insisted they be killed to prevent the possible spread of disease to cattle. Some bison carry brucellosis, but environmentalists say there has never been a documented case of a wild bison transmitting the disease to cattle. Interior and Agriculture Department officials proposed providing additional winter range for the animals on national forest land and indicated new flexibility about bison and cattle co-mingling.