The National Park Service has proposed removing wild horses from Theodore Roosevelt National Park in western North Dakota, as the park looks to revise its livestock plans.
Wild horse advocates and government officials, including Gov. Doug Burgum and U.S. Sen. John Hoeven, are opposed to removal of the horses, which are a major attraction. The park is undergoing an environmental review related to its proposals. About 200 horses roam the park’s south unit near the tourist town of Medora.
Burgum has offered for the state to collaborate with the Park Service to manage the horses. Earlier this year, North Dakota’s Republican-controlled Legislature passed a resolution in support of preserving the horses.
Republican U.S. Senator John Hoeven has included legislation in the U.S. Interior Department’s appropriations bill that he told the AP “would direct them to keep horses in the park in line with what was there at the time that Teddy Roosevelt was out in Medora.”
“Most all of the input we’ve got is that people want to retain horses. We’ve been clear we think (the park) should retain horses,” Hoeven said. He’s pressing the park to keep more than 35-60 horses for genetics reasons.
The senator said he expects the environmental review to be completed soon, which will provide an opportunity for public comment. A timeline for a final decision is unclear.
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