Story Outline

Fight to Keep Bison Inside Yellowstone From a news story by CNN San Francisco Reporter David Mattingly April 2003

I. Volunteers are trying to keep bison in Yellowstone National Park.

a. The winters in Montana have been severe.
b. Bison leave the park in search of food.
c. Volunteers ski in search of the wandering bison.
d. They carry binoculars and two-way radios.

II. The volunteers are in a race against time.

a. When bison leave the park, they are subject to hazing.
b. Montana law has a zero tolerance toward the wayward bison.
c. Snowmobiles and helicopters chase bison back into the park.
d. Volunteers are trying to stop the hazing.

III. Bison infect local cattle with brucellosis.

a. Brucellosis is a reproductive disease.
b. The disease causes pregnant cows to abort.
c. Montana has spent thirty-four million to get rid of the disease.
d. It has taken thirty years to rid the state of brucellosis.

IV. In 1996, there was a very harsh winter in Montana.

a. Thousands of bison left Yellowstone Park.
b. The bison were in search of food.
c. More than a thousand were shot to death.
d. Since 1997, only 317 bison have been killed.

V. In Montana, cattle is a billion dollar a year industry.

a. Today there are too many bison in Yellowstone Park.
b. If there is a bad winter, bison leaving the part could be slaughtered.
c. Slaughtering the bison will cost taxpayers a lot.
d. A new outbreak of brucellosis will cost cattle ranchers millions

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