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    Wild horse advocates hoping to stop latest Theodore Roosevelt National Park roundup

    By Joel Porter,

    4 hours ago

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1KaeAg_0vqeGstE00

    MEDORA, ND ( KXNET ) — Advocates in North Dakota are upset about a new plan by national parks workers in Medora, who plan to round up more wild horses.

    Supervisors at Theodore Roosevelt National Park have announced that starting this weekend, they’ll begin rounding up wild horses and bison to remove them from the park’s south unit. Right now, around 200 wild horses are roaming the park — but supervisors say they plan to separate up to 15 mares and their foals and yearlings to either donate or auction off.

    Park workers also inject the horses with Gonacon, which prevents them from reproducing. Chasing Horses Wild Horse Advocates , who’ve been pushing for a genetically viable herd, argue the latest plan would create a sterile herd, and eventually reduce the wild horse herd to between 35 and 60 horses.

    “The other concern is that there are some horses out there that are older,” explained CHWHA representative Chris Kman. They aren’t going to be able to handle this roundup, and are probably going to get injured. We know what BLM does all the time where they say, ‘Oh, this horse was injured or had a preexisting condition’, and they’re just going to shoot them. Who knows how many horses we’re going to end up losing in this roundup? More than just the 15 they’re planning on removing.”

    Medora City Council passes wild horse resolution

    Park workers say they may donate some of the horses to native tribes or nonprofits, or auction them on the federal government’s General Services Administration website.

    Kman plans to speak at Medora’s city council meeting on Tuesday night, in an attempt to urge the park to either cancel or delay the roundup.

    KX News also contacted Sen. John Hoeven about the latest roundup plan. He responded by issuing the following statement:

    “The National Park Service committed to maintaining a genetically viable herd of wild horses at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, managed in a way to support a healthy herd while preserving the park’s natural resources. We also secured a commitment from Park leaders to be transparent with the public as management plans for the wild horse herd are developed. In regard to the current round-up, the Park Service should continue to provide information to the public on what they are doing and how it will support and maintain a healthy, genetically viable herd on a long-term basis.”

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    Comments / 1
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    Julie Eliason
    13m ago
    I thought they were told to leave them alone!!!
    View all comments
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