At least 19 feral cattle in New Mexico’s Gila Wilderness were shot to death from helicopters.
The operation was ordered by the U.S. Forest Service and occurred over a three-day period, according to a report.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ORDERS FERAL CATTLE TO BE ELIMINATED BY GUNMEN IN HELICOPTERS
Hunters were called in to cull about 150 wild cattle due to the damage they were causing to the habitats of endangered scenes and interactions with hikers in the area, the Forest Service said.
Removing the wild cattle was demanded, given their “threat to public safety and natural resources,” according to officials.
“This has been a difficult decision, but the lethal removal of feral cattle from the Gila Wilderness is necessary to protect public safety, threatened and endangered species habitats, water quality, and the natural character of the Gila Wilderness,” Forest Supervisor Camille Howes said.
“The feral cattle in the Gila Wilderness have been aggressive towards wilderness visitors, graze year-round, and trample stream banks and springs, causing erosion and sedimentation,” Howes added. “This action will help restore the wilderness character of the Gila Wilderness enjoyed by visitors from across the country.”
Despite the government’s insistence the culling was imperative, ranchers in the area protested it.
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They argued it was inhumane and that privately owned cattle could be placed at risk of being killed by mistake, according to the report.
New Mexico’s Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham also spoke against the culling, saying the Forest Service had failed to gain the perspective of locals on the issue.
