The Roundups of the Wild Mustangs and Burros in the West
Leonardo Sean Kruppa
Ms. Malott
Senior Project
14 September 2010
Problem Paper The wild mustangs and burros in the West are a true legacy. The homelands on which the mustangs and burros have been free are essential for the wild mustangs’ and burros’ history. They have been roaming and there living for countless years. However, the Federal Government and the Bureau of Land and Management, BLM, have begun to put boundaries on these animals’ homelands, gathering them up into what the government calls, “roundups”. The Federal Government and the Bureau of Land and Management of the West United States are abusing, neglecting, and terrorizing the wild mustang and burro population. Twelve thousand mustangs and over thirty thousand burros once roamed the Wild West and its vast sagebrush ranges of the United Northwest. The mustangs are also bred for their resources, “…however, hooves, ears, and tails are sold for glue and oil, ground bones and scraps for chickenfeed, hides for baseballs and shoes, blood for fertilizer, and casings for German sausage.” (Yakima 4). Jessica Yakima is a wild horse advocate who is very much active in Arizona and among the government roundup facilities. However, the Federal Government and the Bureau of Land and Management of Arizona and Nevada are not rounding them up for their resources. Instead, the roundups are motivated because of the desire to “clean up” the remaining mustang and burro population. Quoting the Director of Arizona’s Bureau of Land and Management, Bob Abbey states that the reason for their roundups is to “save range for the livestock…”. Arizona’s Bureau of Land and Management released this statement, “there is spread of disease amongst the horses and burro population.” The claim that disease is the reason why the government should be able to round up these mustangs and burros is competently false and untrue. There is no abnormal spreading of disease amongst the mustangs and burros. The wild mustangs and
Ms. Malott
Senior Project
14 September 2010
Problem Paper The wild mustangs and burros in the West are a true legacy. The homelands on which the mustangs and burros have been free are essential for the wild mustangs’ and burros’ history. They have been roaming and there living for countless years. However, the Federal Government and the Bureau of Land and Management, BLM, have begun to put boundaries on these animals’ homelands, gathering them up into what the government calls, “roundups”. The Federal Government and the Bureau of Land and Management of the West United States are abusing, neglecting, and terrorizing the wild mustang and burro population. Twelve thousand mustangs and over thirty thousand burros once roamed the Wild West and its vast sagebrush ranges of the United Northwest. The mustangs are also bred for their resources, “…however, hooves, ears, and tails are sold for glue and oil, ground bones and scraps for chickenfeed, hides for baseballs and shoes, blood for fertilizer, and casings for German sausage.” (Yakima 4). Jessica Yakima is a wild horse advocate who is very much active in Arizona and among the government roundup facilities. However, the Federal Government and the Bureau of Land and Management of Arizona and Nevada are not rounding them up for their resources. Instead, the roundups are motivated because of the desire to “clean up” the remaining mustang and burro population. Quoting the Director of Arizona’s Bureau of Land and Management, Bob Abbey states that the reason for their roundups is to “save range for the livestock…”. Arizona’s Bureau of Land and Management released this statement, “there is spread of disease amongst the horses and burro population.” The claim that disease is the reason why the government should be able to round up these mustangs and burros is competently false and untrue. There is no abnormal spreading of disease amongst the mustangs and burros. The wild mustangs and
Cited: Archibold, Randal. “Debate Grows Over Roundup of Wild Horses in Nevada.” New York Times. 1 Jan 2010. Academic OneFile. Web. Gules, Thomas. “Wild Horse Roundups: What should be done with Wild Horses and Burros?” Current Events, A Weekly Reader Publication. 3 May 2002. Academic OneFile. Web. Ryden, Hope. America’s Last Wild Horses: The Classic Study of the Mustangs. New York. The Lyons Press. 1 July 2005. Stillman, Deanne. Mustang: The Saga of the Wild Horse in the American West. New York. First Mariner Books. 6 June 2008. Yakima, Jessica. “Wild Horse Round-Up: Wild Horses and Burros.” 20 Feb. 1969. Academic OneFile. Web.