For America's Bison, Tales of Starvation, Slaughter

Two depressing stories on the plight of bison starving in the brutal winter:

• In South Dakota, a court impounded about 5,000 bison on a private ranch because the owner—a real estate developer in Florida—was apparently unwilling or unable to make sure they got food, reports the Bismarck Tribune. The local sheriff is overseeing the daily feeding, though dozens of buffalo already have been found dead. It's the second time in three years authorities have had to take action against the owner, who has pulled in $2.5 million in farm subsidies since 2005 for his ranches in seven states.

• The fate of about 400 wild bison in Yellowstone National Park remains in limbo, but the Interior Department has asked a federal judge in Montana not to interfere with their impending slaughter, reports AP. The bison were rounded up when they left the park in search of food. Some have tested positive for brucellosis, and the feds fear they'll spread the disease to local livestock. The park began shipping animals to slaughter, but that's on hold pending the court decision.

(More bison stories.)