Advocates are rallying support from Congress to prevent the removal of around 200 wild horses in North Dakota's Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The National Park Service is expected to make a decision in April regarding the future of these horses as part of a park management plan. Senator John Hoeven's legislation, included in the annual Interior and Environment budget bill, recommends keeping the horses in place and potentially denies funding for their removal.
The debate revolves around ensuring a genetically viable herd of at least 150 horses to avoid inbreeding issues. Park officials have previously considered removing the horses due to concerns about non-native species posing risks to park resources. The horses, with origins from Native American tribes, area ranches, and domestic stallions, have been a part of the park since the 1950s.
