Bison migration into Montana

For the first time since the 1800s, a small group of wild bison was herded on January 19 through fresh-fallen snow to reach their historical grazing grounds north of America's Yellowstone National Park.

As pronghorn antelope and mule deer scattered to avoid the procession, park employees and State livestock agents on horseback pushed the 25 bison about 10 miles (16 km) down the Yellowstone River valley. It took about three hours to reach an open meadow in the Gallatin National Forest, where the animals will be allowed to remain until spring. The move could provide at least some relief from government-sponsored mass slaughters of the iconic Western animals, often called buffalo. Past winter journeys by bison seeking to graze at lower elevations have been blocked over fears that a disease carried by some could infect cattle.

During the last major migration, in 2008, 1,600 Yellowstone bison were killed, about a third of the park's total. Wildlife officials said the Forest Service land where the 25 bison will be allowed to roam is roughly 2,500 acres, or less than four square miles. If this year's “test” operation goes well, the number of bison allowed eventually could be increased to 100.

Access to the land came at a steep price — Government agencies and private conservation groups agreed to pay more than $3 million to establish a bison travel corridor through the Royal Teton Ranch, a sprawling property just north of Yellowstone owned by the Church Universal and Triumphant. Electrified fencing now lines the dirt road that passes through the ranch, a reminder that the newfound tolerance for bison in Montana has its limits.

Prior to European settlement, an estimated 60 million bison roamed North America, from Canada to northern Mexico. They were hunted to near-extinction by the end of the 19th century, with only about 300 survivors remaining. Yellowstone was the first place the species was restored in significant numbers.

Established in 1872, the park is America's first national park. Located in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, it is home to a large variety of wildlife including the grizzly bear, the wolf, the bison and the elk.