Several bison were killed in southwest Montana when a semitruck and cars crashed into a herd on a highway, officials said.
It happened after dark about 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, on U.S. Highway 191, just north of West Yellowstone, police chief Mike Gavagan confirmed to McClatchy News.
West Yellowstone is the town situated near the western entrance to Yellowstone National Park. Bison frequent the area, and their dark coats can make them tough to spot at night, Gavagan said.
They also don’t have reflective eyes that would reflect a vehicle’s headlights and signal their presence to a driver, he said.
A total of 13 bison died. Some were killed in the crash, and others had to be put down due to their injuries, Gavagan said.
“The stretch of road north of town is plowed,” but was icy and covered in packed snow at the time, Gavagan told NBC Montana. No one in the cars or semi were injured, he said. American bison is the national mammal of the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Interior.
“What makes Yellowstone’s bison so special is that they’re the descendants of early bison that roamed our country’s grasslands, the department said.
“In 2021, Yellowstone’s bison population was estimated at 5,450 — making it the largest bison population on public lands.”
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