Number: 1981-08
WHEREAS, Public law 92-195, The Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act and subsequent amendments has been operative since December, 1971; and
WHEREAS, the ability to properly manage populations of free-roaming horses and burros under this Act and its several amendments has been hampered by several shortcomings, namely: failure to provide an acceptable method of animal removal in sufficient numbers beyond that of the “Adopt-a-Horse” program; the lack of hard scientific data on horse and burro population dynamics; inflationary and unrealistic administrative expenses in attempting to comply with provisions of the Act; and the lack of adequate funding for the administering agencies; and
WHEREAS, these shortcomings have not enabled horse and burro populations to be retained within the carrying capacity of the ranges they occupy; and
WHEREAS, excessive populations of horses and burros in the western states are causing range deterioration through overgrazing and trampling of vegetation in arid and semi-arid environments creating the need for expensive range management and rehabilitation programs; and
WHEREAS, domestic livestock and indigenous wildlife species are being crowded off their traditional ranges by increasing numbers of uncontrolled wild horses and burros;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation, in annual meeting assembled March 26-29, 1981, in Norfolk, Virginia, strongly urges Congress to amend Public Law 92-195 to authorize Federal Public Land Management agencies to dispose of surplus wild horses and burros through existing commercial outlets with proceeds to be returned to the federal treasury to help offset the administrative costs of the wild horses and burro management program, and to allow for the immediate transfer of title for such animals within the framework of the disposal program and the Adopt-a-Horse program, and to encourage these agencies to manage wild horse and burro populations in a humane and scientifically based manner as may be suggested by studies conducted through the National Academy of Science.