Zoocheck has done a press release in regards to an upcoming Alberta government cull of our Alberta Mountain Horses. We have attached the information.

This release was formulated from the research and analysis undertaken by Wayne McCory, a world renowned biologist and author. Mr. McCrory has published several research papers on BCs wild horses and in 2015 had also done one for Zoocheck on Alberta’s horses. His book, “Wild horses of the Chilcotin” outlines their history and future on the landscape.

His report on Alberta’s horses in 2015 was very thorough and was presented to the Feral Horses Advisory Committee (FHAC) of the Alberta government. It was quickly dismissed by several stakeholders and the government as not being relevant because it had not been “peer” reviewed. In other words, they did not want to hear it. His current report reviews the FHAC management plan that was finalized and approved by the government, but not by all committee members.

At stake now is the upcoming plans for a completely unnecessary cull of horses in two of the equine zones.

Through our experience and travels throughout wild horse country our observations back up what Mr. McCrory states in his report. That is, it is not the horses that are doing the damage to the environment, but is the severe overgrazing of the range by cattle put out on Crown land. As well other pressures from logging, oil and gas, and recreational use all contribute. This narrow-minded attitude on behalf of the government that it is the horses that are to blame for the degradation of the landscape and the negative effects on other wildlife.

I have brought up several times in the FHAC meetings that the damage they say is caused by the horses is limited to the equine zones, but this is not true. Several times I have mentioned that in areas where there are no wild horses and there are cattle during the summer, the degradation to the range and the riparian areas is just as severe if not worse. My own experience is through spending over 60 years in travelling, hunting, hiking and camping and in that time the changes that I’ve observed is phenomenal.

To make my point one can visit the Sheep River bighorn sheep sanctuary west of Diamond Valley. In the springtime when we first start riding, there are no cattle and the grass is very lush. It is here that the grazing association has put out a sign that states that cattle are benefiting the landscape by eating the biomass. However on a viewpoint overlooking this sanctuary is a sign stating how the sheep are staying within the safety of the sanctuary all year and because of that the range is suffering. How ludicrous!

Because of the cattle by the end of summer the grass has been eaten down almost to bare ground in the valleys and on the lower hillsides. It was so bad last year that the cattle had ranged high up on the hillsides to find enough feed but this was the winter feeding ground of the sheep and elk. What were they to eat come the hardships of winter? We know the grass comes back every year, but like we have said, the wintering areas for the wildlife has been destroyed and there are no wild horses here. To us this is absolutely total mismanagement and poor stewardship of our Crown land by the grazers and government land managers. So when it comes to the Equine Zones it is the cattle not the horses destroying the landscape.

We hope you will consider following Zoocheck’s request and contact the government to express your opinions. If you click on the link at the top of the page you can find Zoocheck and Wayne McCrory’s report.