Well this year, apparently that wasn't enough. In response to ranchers wanting more land for their cattle graze, over 130 wild horses were rounded up, and many of them sent to slaughter.
You can find more information here at this website,
http://canadianhorsedefencecoalition.wordpress.com/2012/03/13/alberta-government-decimates-wild-horse-herds/
This is so infuriating, wild horses tend to be made out to be a bigger threat to livestock than they actually are. Alberta has so much land and the main area where the wild horses are, the Sundre area, is a very swampy area, not the greatest for farming or even cows.
Another fear is that horses push cattle away from the good grass. That's a myth, anyone who keeps horses and cows in the same field can see that. They eat alongside each other, they don't chase each other away from food.
Pretty soon we won't have any wild horses left. Here, go google Wild Horses in Alberta and go to images. The first two pictures are of dead wild horses. I think that says it all.
3 comments:
Argh! Population control is important, but America, Australia and Canada are going about it ass-backwards. There are other alternatives that DON'T involve sending horses to slaughter or killing them inhumanely.
All the interfering we (humans) do with nature is bound to have consequences. We wouldn't even NEED population control if we hadn't wrecked so much havoc in the first place; the environment would sort it out itself.
I find this deeply disturbing. Having wild horses in a country as big as Canada should be something to be proud of in it's uniqueness. I have been a supporter of the Canada Horse Defense Coalition for a number of years now. I am also a wildlife advocate and work with wildlife groups. I am currently involved with challenging our local and provincial governments with allowing farmers within the city boundaries to shoot Canada geese and other wildlife. We have shown the different agencies that killing is not the answer and there are more humane ways with dealing with wildlife issues. It's slow, but education is key. I would highly recommend that you write your MP, your MPP and your local government. Starting a petition is also a way to get people involved. Use your voice. I'll get off my soap box now.... :-)
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