The BLM is going to remove about half the wild horses in the Great Divide Basin of south central Wyoming. Story by Cat Urbigkit in the Casper Star Tribune.
I found it interesting that they have done a genetic analysis of the origin of the horses.
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Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He was a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and was also its President for several years. For a long time he produced Ralph Maughan's Wolf Report. He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of "Hiking Idaho." He also wrote "Beyond the Tetons" and "Backpacking Wyoming's Teton and Washakie Wilderness." He created and is the administrator of The Wildlife News.
Interesting, yet aggravating. Co-operation with local ranchers and genetic testing for a non-native species…..
The same treatment should also be afforded the American Bison, a native species, a national icon and symbol for our National Parks system.
Despite my anger I really appreciate the adoption program. Not long ago OPB aired a great documentary about the wild horses and the folks in OR that have adopted them.
The GYE bison should be treated with the same respect.
Fairly recent scientific evidence proves wild horses are a native species. A paper is being released soon. I’m curious what genetically testing bison would prove.
What’s not native are bighorn sheep. The difference is, wild horses are not a hunted species, therefore considered worthless. Even bison are still hunted, if you can call that hunting. And they are also harassed by federal agents as wild horses are.
That would be pretty amazing. I am skeptical, but I hope to see the paper.