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Monday, March 19, 2012

KEN SALAZAR, BLM, AND THE WAR AGAINST WILD HORSES AND BURROS FUNDED BY TAXPAYER MONEY

CoastZone Newsletter

Weekend Edition March 19, 2012 Coast Insider Audio

Wild Horses Endangered:

In the first hour of Sunday's show, George Knapp was joined by wildlife ecologist Craig Downer to discuss America's magnificent wild horses that have been unfairly targeted for elimination in what he calls the Wild Horse Conspiracy. One of the most noble pieces of legislation was the Wild Horses and Burros Act (passed into law in 1971), said Downer, but since that time the BLM has sought to reduce the wild horse population to make more land available for ranchers' cattle. Reform is needed now in Congress, such as the Restore Our American Mustangs Act, he stated. People claim that the horses are an invasive species, but they are actually indigenous to North America and evolved here, he argued, adding that complete habitats for long term viable populations of 1,000 or more animals are crucial.

Horse advocate Jerry Reynoldson joined Downer in the second hour, and talked about Madeleine Pickens' eco-sanctuary plan to take 1,000 horses onto 550,000 acres of public land, for less taxpayer money than what the ranchers are currently being paid. He noted that the competition for public lands and resources is very intense, and because the wild horses don't offer a revenue stream, the BLM tends to side with the ranchers. But Pickens wants to involve the public, with plans to build a children's learning center and campgrounds at the horse sanctuary site, he detailed.


I listened to most of this last night in the wee hours. It is an excellent interview. These animals are part of our American heritage and they should be protected as such. Millions of acres of public land are leased to ranchers who sit on a committee along with three members of the Safari Club, which is an exclusive organization for trophy hunters of exotics on private ranches and members of the BLM to decide their fate. We need proponents of the wild horse and burro on that committee. They are American historical and cultural resources, a symbol of western expansion without whom we couldn't have accomplished.

I stood on a hilltop in Montana one day and gazed out in the direction of the closest herds a hundred or more miles away. When you physically see the land from that perspective, you know there is NO way wild horses and burros could impact the land that serves the ranch grazing leases: millions of cattle vs. several thousands of wild horses and burros. Not in a million years.

Ken Salazar has done a horrible job in his position as Secretary of the Bureau of Land Management. I hope we say goodbye to him shortly.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Indeed, Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar has trying everything in his power to displace the returned native horses and burros from their rightful legal herd areas. And much the same can be said of the Secretary of Agriculture on their legal territories. This is really contrary to the law and this gross unfairness needs to be rectified ASAP! These wonderful presences are the very soul of America. I hope more of you will buy my book The Wild Horse Conspiracy. It is available either through me or on www.amazon.com or on Barnes & Noble website. If enough people seriously read it and take it to heart I know it will turn this dreadful situation around for the horses and burros and their rightful freedom -- and, so, for the soul of America!