Feral Cows Damage Rivers in New Mexico, Officials Issue Kill Order

In New Mexico, wild cows have been causing damage to rivers, so authorities have ordered their killing. Next week, a shooter-equipped helicopter will fly over a section of the expansive Gila Wilderness in southwest New Mexico in search of rabid cows to kill.

The plan to safeguard sensitive areas in the country's first dedicated wilderness area was approved by US Forest Service managers on Thursday. The action prepares the ground for legal disputes over how to manage unbranded livestock as well as other stray cows as the West's drought worsens.

150 Feral Cows at Gila Wilderness

In response to pressure from environmental organizations who voiced concerns about 150 cattle whose mouths and hooves are endangering streams and rivers, the Gila National Forest made the decision. Meanwhile, ranchers have disagreed with the plan to shoot cattle from a helicopter as being cruel to animals. They claimed that doing so is against federal regulations and will cause issues if carcasses are left to rot.

Beginning on Monday, a portion of the Gila Wilderness will be off-limits to visitors. A helicopter will take off on Thursday, and shooters will spend the next four days scouring rough terrain, including the Gila River, for feral cattle.

The choice, according to forest supervisor Camille Howes, was challenging but necessary.

Hoves pointed out that the feral cattle grazing in the Gila Wilderness have indeed been aggressive toward visitors to the wilderness, graze all year long, and tramp stream banks and springs, starting to cause erosion and sedimentation.

As more grazing parcels are becoming vacant throughout the West, ranching industry groups as well as other rural advocates are worried that the New Mexico decision may serve as a precedent for such a trend.

Challenges for Ranchers

Ranchers in New Mexico and Arizona are facing multiple challenges, including a lack of help in maintaining fences, a worsening drought leading to scarce water for cattle, and rising costs of supplies. These challenges have resulted in many grazing parcels being left vacant, with increased use of public lands also contributing to the problem by damaging fences.

The committee chair sought solutions to avoid shooting feral cattle, suggesting that neighboring permittees could gather and herd them out, citing a new directive.

Limited access due to snow has prevented ranchers from assessing the effectiveness of a new directive by federal officials to manage cattle grazing in Arizona's Tonto National Forest, which has been criticized by the ranchers' organization for not following its own regulations.

Environmentalists Agree on Shooting

Environmentalists who have filed lawsuits against cattle grazing in the West for damaging the land and water have welcomed the US Forest Service's decision to shoot cattle in Tonto National Forest.

According to Todd Schulke, the co-founder of the Center for Biological Diversity, immediate benefits such as the restoration of wildlife habitat, clean water, and a healthy river can be expected.

The US Forest Service's decision to shoot feral cattle in Tonto National Forest marks a change from the environmental community's usual position on shooting other wildlife, including bison at the Grand Canyon, coyotes, wolves, and other animals. Environmentalists have recently filed lawsuits in Montana and Idaho, accusing the US Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services of violating environmental laws through their predator-control activities.

The Center for Biological Diversity argues that unauthorized grazing by 50 to 150 cows in the Gila Wilderness, which is home to endangered species like Mexican gray wolves, elk, and deer, will worsen water quality issues if left unaddressed.

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50 Years of Cattle Problem

The National Cattlemen's Beef Association requested a one-year delay on lethal action by the Forest Service after an agreement was reached between the New Mexico Cattle Growers' Association and federal officials.

The feral cattle problem has been ongoing for 50 years, stemming from a suspended grazing permit after a cattle operation went out of business, according to the Forest Service.

Despite the fact that numerous cows have been taken out of the forest over the years after a cattle operation went out of business 50 years ago, it has been impossible to get the cows all out, according to Green Matters.

Over the years, hundreds of unauthorized cattle have been removed, and in 2022, 65 cows were killed in an aerial gunning operation, similar to the one scheduled for next week. To prevent environmental and cultural harm, the carcasses must not be left near waterways, hiking trails, or culturally sensitive areas, and the operation must not disrupt the breeding season for endangered species, AP News reports.