The American people may not realize the extent to which their government caters to ranching interests on public lands in the western U.S., as noted in a commentary posted yesterday by The Record-Courier of Gardnerville, NV.
Areas set aside for wild horses and burros have been zeroed out, AMLs have been reduced and habitats have been altered to suit those interests.
As land, food and water shift to privately owned livestock, the number of wild horses and burros in those areas must go down. Resource enforcement plans, which read like pest control programs, maintain the status quo. The Proposed Action for the Calico Complex is just one example.
Would horses and burros be better off if the statute was restored to its original form?
Probably. Are additional protections needed?
Velma knew that they’d need protection from the ranchers but she did not realize—and could not realize—that they’d also need protection from the advocates.
Areas where wildness is at greatest risk are those where the advocates are most actively involved.
The list is too long to enumerate and one organization in particular seems to be a common cause among them, evident in yesterday’s story about the Onaqui herd.
RELATED: Hard to Call Them Wild.
Western Horse Watchers Association 