Heber Herd Facts from The International Society for the Protection of Mustangs and Burros

Heber Herd Facts from The International Society for the Protection of Mustangs and Burros
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RAPID CITY, SD, UNITED STATES: In 2006, the International Society for the Protection of Mustangs and Burros (ISPMB) filed a lawsuit against the United States Forest Service before reaching an agreement with the service. The Forest Service had to produce a comprehensive territory plan for the wild horses per the agreement.

The agreement between the ISPMB and the Forest Service also declared the burros should be horses as free-roaming and wild on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest’s 616,000 acres. As a result, ISPMB believes these horses cannot be removed from this area.

Before 2006, around 300 to 400 horses were counted. However, a recently conducted census revealed that this number is now 450—a growth rate of 1.5%. Still, this is far from the 20% annual growth rate that the Forest Service has touted. Considering this, it is paramount that Heber horses be studied to transform the strategy used to manage wild horses in America. Fortunately, Secretary Tom Vilsack can make this happen.

According to the ISPMB, if wild horses are treated as wildlife, roundups won’t be as necessary in the long term, and holding pastures won’t be required to house these animals. This will save taxpayers the $60 million that private parties would otherwise pay to hold burros off of the range. Instead, this money can be used to monitor and inventory wild horses’ habitat to see if any excess wild horses exist, in which case they may be removed.

PLEASE SIGN ISPMB’S PETITION TO SAVE THE HEBER HORSES

The International Society for the Protection of Mustangs and Burros’ (ISPMB’s) petition can be accessed at the organization’s website, www.ispmb.org. Click on it and sign in, then encourage as many individuals as possible to sign the petition, too.

At the time of this newsletter’s release, we have already obtained 10,000 signatures. We aim to reach the greatest number of people possible with it as possible. Secretary Tom Vilsack will receive the petition as well.