State seeks new home for quarantined bison

BILLINGS (AP) — A new home is being sought for a group of roughly 135 bison that came through an experimental program to see if animals from Yellowstone National Park can be used to establish herds in Montana or elsewhere.

After earlier attempts to move them ran into opposition, more than 80 bison captured from the park and their offspring have been held since 2010 on a ranch near Bozeman owned by philanthropist Ted Turner.

Under a deal hatched by former Gov. Brian Schweitzer, Turner cared for the animals and gets to keep 75 percent of the offspring. That’s expected to be more than 150 bison after spring calving.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks wants to pass the remaining animals over to public agencies or organizations interested in starting “conservation herds.”

Yellowstone bison are highly prized for their genetic purity.

Federal animal health officials tested the bison proposed for transfer twice annually since the first were captured in 2005 to make sure they don’t have brucellosis.