WHEREAS, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service have requested opinions from interested organizations concerning the management of areas set aside for the preservation of wild horses and burros in the various western states; and
WHEREAS, it is known that mustangs and burros can and do seriously reduce the environmental quality in areas where they are not intensively controlled; and
WHEREAS, certain persons have requested that excess numbers of these wild horse ranges be established; and
WHEREAS, the efforts of these persons interested in horse protection have hampered the responsible agencies in their efforts to manage effectively these exotic equine populations so as to protect adequately the native vegetation and ensure that suitable habitats remain for native species particularly deer, elk, pronghoms, bighorn sheep, and other herbivores;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Society of Mammalogists fully support the National Advisory Board on Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros, the Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Forest Service in their efforts to maintain these equine populations at sufficiently low levels as to eliminate serious competition with optimum native mammal populations; and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED, that no more than four of these ranges be established.