Bison protesters arrested at Yellowstone National Park Eds: APNewsNow. Should stand.

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) Two women protesting the slaughter of bison at Yellowstone National Park have been arrested after chaining themselves to a stairway inside a park visitor center.

Park spokesman Al Nash says the women were cut loose Wednesday from the stairway and booked by park police on charges of disorderly conduct and interfering with agency functions.

A fellow activist from the group Buffalo Field Campaign identified the women as West Yellowstone residents Catherine Simonidis, 22, and Miriam Wasser, 20.

More than 1,200 Yellowstone bison have been killed this year, primarily through a program meant to prevent them from spreading the disease brucellosis to surrounding livestock herds. The bison were captured leaving the park in search of food at lower elevations and sent to slaughter.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 03-26-08 1815CDT | save this article / add to your favorites list