Yellowstone bison sent to slaughter as park trims herd

(AP) — Yellowstone National Park started shipping many of its famous wild bison to slaughter Wednesday to drive down the size of the park's herds and respond to concerns by the livestock industry over a disease carried by the animals.

The bison were weighed and tested for disease for research purposes, and the remaining animals were crowded into holding pens to await shipment.

The animals also are the symbol of the National Park Service.

Since the 1980s, worry over brucellosis has prompted the killing of about 8,200 park bison, most of them sent to slaughter.

The vast majority were shot by members of American Indian tribes that have treaty hunting rights in the Yellowstone region.

Up to 50 wounded bison were killed by state and federal wildlife agents, Jones said.