13 Bison Dead After Truck Hits Herd Near Yellowstone: Authorities announced Friday that 13 bison were killed or had to be put down after a semi-truck in an accident with two other cars struck their herd on a dark Montana roadway just outside Yellowstone National Park.
The semi-truck hit the bison on Wednesday night after dark. According to a statement from the West Yellowstone Police Department, some bison were killed in the collision, while others had to be put down because of the seriousness of their wounds.
Police Chief Mike Gavagan reported that no one inside the truck or the two other vehicles was wounded.
Just north of the town of West Yellowstone, on U.S. Highway 191, at around 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, authorities said they were looking into the cause of the accident. The village serves as Yellowstone National Park’s western entrance.
Initially reporting that all three vehicles had struck the bison, the police later claimed that just the truck had.
Police stated that although “road conditions at the time would advise traveling below the posted speed limit,” speed may not have played a role in the collision.
According to the police department, bison in the area frequently congregate close to roads during the winter since it’s simpler for them to travel there through deep snow. Due to their dark brown coloring and the fact that their eyes don’t reflect light, especially headlights like deer’s do, the creatures can be challenging to notice at night, according to the report.
“We deal with wildlife being struck and killed on the roadways in our area regularly due to the abundance of wildlife in our area and our proximity to Yellowstone National Park,” the police said.
“We are always saddened by these incidents, particularly when so many animals are lost.”