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ALBUQUERQUE, March 1 (AP) A professional team of wildlife managers killed 19 bison in southwestern New Mexico’s Gila Wilderness, an effort to clear the area of ​​illegal animals. part of the controversial project.
The three-day operation used helicopters and high-powered rifles to wipe out the cows in the rugged terrain, which federal officials and conservationists say have been trampling river banks, destroying habitat for other species and damaging water quality.
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The U.S. Forest Service estimates there are as many as 150 unauthorized cows along the Gila River.
The agency said Tuesday that the search was conducted with the naked eye and thermal imaging. Crews found plenty of elk, deer, javelins and even rabbits — but no more cattle after the operation.
The bodies will be left to rot in the forest, and the Forest Service plans to monitor the area.
Ranchers oppose the project, saying penning up the animals and taking them away is a more humane way of removing them from the wilderness. They accused the Forest Service of violating its own policies, but a federal judge denied their request to put the project on hold, saying the cows were indeed feral and the Forest Service had the authority to kill them.
Gila Forest Director Camille House said a combination of ground and aerial clearance efforts since October 2021 have significantly reduced bison numbers.
“We are committed to removing these bison as safely, efficiently and humanely as possible to ensure the Gila Wilderness remains safe and resilient for future generations,” she said in a statement.
She also said the Forest Service is committed to working with ranching communities and will coordinate with permit holders to remove any branded cattle from areas where they shouldn’t be.
Ranchers say there are fewer people maintaining fences, and rural neighbors who once helped fence wayward cows are gone. Some have left the business as the drought intensifies, cattle lack water and the cost of feed and other supplies soars.
Ranchers say increased use of public lands — including hunting and hiking — has also led to fences collapsing. Elk are also responsible for breaking down fences used to contain cows.
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who even got involved in the fight over the Gila bison, said last week that the federal government needs to do a better job of listening to residents.
The Forest Service reiterated its position Tuesday that killing cows is “the most efficient and humane way to deal with this problem.” (Associated Press)
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)
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