The Yellowstone Bison Herd lawsuit arises from disputes concerning the Park Service’s updated plan to manage the iconic bison population roaming Yellowstone National Park. The state of Montana filed the lawsuit challenging the plan, which allows the bison herd to increase beyond what Montana officials consider safe. They argue the population growth risks spreading brucellosis to nearby cattle, threatening the agricultural economy. This case underscores the complex tensions between wildlife conservation, tribal rights, agriculture, and state-federal management authority.
Yellowstone Bison Herd Lawsuit
In late 2024, Montana, alongside two state agencies — the Department of Livestock and the Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks — sued the National Park Service (NPS) to block implementation of Yellowstone’s new bison management plan. The NPS’s plan, finalized after years of collaborative input and scientific study, sets the target bison population between 3,500 and 6,000 animals. Montana demands to lower this to about 3,000, citing disease transmission risks and environmental concerns.
The lawsuit contends the Park Service violated federal laws requiring meaningful consultation with Montana during the plan’s development and accuses the NPS of ignoring the state’s concerns and overstepping its authority.
Background and Stakeholder Perspectives
Yellowstone’s bison herd is the last genetically pure wild herd in the contiguous United States and plays a vital ecological and cultural role, especially for Indigenous tribes who hold treaty rights to the animals. The herd also supports local tourism and hunting economies. The new plan incorporates scientific research, public comments (over 27,000 received), and tribal input, striving to balance conservation goals with livestock protection.
Montana officials disagree, emphasizing livestock health risks posed by brucellosis, a bacterial disease affecting cattle fertility. Despite no recent documented transmissions from bison to cattle, Montana insists aggressive herd control is necessary, including aggressive hazing and culling of animals leaving park boundaries.
Legal Claims and Contentions
Montana’s lawsuit argues the NPS failed to engage in required collaboration with the state and improperly implemented its management plan, impacting the state’s ability to protect agricultural interests. The state seeks judicial relief to reduce and more tightly control the bison herd.
Conservationists, tribal nations, and environmental groups defend the plan as scientifically sound and respectful of tribal sovereignty and ecosystem health, emphasizing that it represents a balanced compromise following decades of management challenges.
Broader Implications and Future Outlook
The lawsuit symbolizes wider debates about wildlife management across public lands, where multiple stakeholders’ rights and interests intersect. It highlights the challenges of managing migratory species across jurisdictional lines and balancing ecological conservation with economic livelihoods.
The case’s resolution will likely influence future wildlife management policies, intergovernmental relations, and the protection of culturally significant species.
Conclusion
The Yellowstone Bison Herd lawsuit is a complex legal drama revealing the competing pressures on natural resource governance in America’s national parks. Its outcome will have lasting impact on how iconic wildlife like bison are preserved, managed, and shared among states, tribes, and federal agencies.
Effective, science-based collaboration remains key to resolving conflicts and securing a sustainable future for Yellowstone’s treasured bison.
