If you've never lived in the West, you've probably never heard of brucellosis. But for ranchers and wildlife managers alike in places like Montana and Wyoming, brucellosis, a disease that causes cattle to abort their fetuses, it's a really, really big deal.

For years, bison, which carry brucellosis but aren't subject to its effects, have been the sole target when curbing the disease, the presence of which in a herd of cattle can cost a state millions of dollars through the forfeiture of a brucellosis-free certification. Since last fall, officials have killed more than 1,600 of the animals as they sought food at lower elevations and left the boundaries of Yellowstone National Park.

Problem is, though, the elk carry brucellosis too, but have long been ignored in managing it. Last week, the federal government announced a plan to cull elk populations around Yellowstone National Park to prevent brucellosis transmission to nearby cattle herds.

The management, hunting and harassment of bison at Yellowstone have come under fire by the public and numerous elected officials alike. Stay tuned for what the feds decide to do with elk.