LIVINGSTON –Montana wildlife officials are working to find out what caused hundreds of whitefish to die in the Yellowstone River near Livingston.
The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports that Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials found 382 dead whitefish in the area on Friday, confirming reports of a large-scale fish kill.
The cause of the deaths is unknown at this time. Officials say a fish and disease health lab will analyze samples from the area.
FWP spokeswoman Andrea Jones says whitefish can be an early indicator of issues with river health and that the fish play an important role in the river’s ecosystem.