Regarding “You want fries with that mustang?” (HCN,
4/4/05: You want fries with that mustang?): I’ve worked in
the Mojave Desert of California and in eastern Oregon, and in both
areas, one could find “wild” horses, “wild” burros and cattle.
What these animals all have in common are the following:
1) They are not native, but they are competing with
native animals for scarce natural resources.
2) They all
trample native natural resources that our native flora and fauna
need to survive.
3) In areas where water bodies are
nearby, or underground water sources are present as in the desert,
their droppings contribute to fecal contamination.
I
understand that horses, burros and cattle are a part of history. I
would rather see our tax dollars protect native flora and fauna,
instead of going to programs that involve non-native species.
Liz Ellis
Lacey, Washington
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Wild horses harm ecosystems.
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