Wild buffalo used to roam the countryside before they were hunted to near extinction in the late 19th century. Now, officials in one of their remaining refuges -- Yellowstone National Park -- aim to kill 900 of their bison this winter. This is the largest such cull in seven years, and will reduce Yellowstone's herd by one-fifth.

These buffalo descended from the original herd of under 50 that found refuge in Yellowstone in the early 20th century. Park officials worry that wandering wild bison could spread a disease called brucellosis to cattle, but there hasn't been a single documented case of this happening.

Bison are native to the U.S. and a important part of our heritage. Please sign the petition to urge Yellowstone to find alternatives to killing bison, such as transplanting them to other nature reserves.