THE WILD FREE-ROAMING HORSES AND BURROS ACT OF 1971 (PUBLIC LAW 92-195)

Congress finds and declares that wild free-roaming horses and burros are living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West; that they contribute to the diversity of life forms within the Nation and enrich the lives of the American people; and that these horses and burros are fast disappearing from the American scene. It is the policy of Congress that wild free-roaming horses and burros shall be protected from capture, branding, harassment, or death; and to accomplish this they are to be considered in the area where presently found, as an integral part of the natural system of the public lands. - U.S. Bureau of Land Management

Ted Turner is best known as the founder of the cable television network CNN. Did you know he is the largest landowner in America? Turner owns vast expanses of ranchland across America. His geographic empire (approximately two million acres) is greater than the land areas of the two smallest states of Rhode Island and Delaware combined.

Turner is reintroducing many species to their native habitats, including wolves, bears, elk, fox, owl, woodpeckers, and trout. He has placed hundreds of thousands of acres in conservation easements that prohibit the use and development of the land forever. This basically means he has given up any future profit on the land and preserved it for generations to come. Turner’s intent is to manage his land in an economically sustainable and ecologically sensitive manner, while conserving native species.

The reintroduction of certain animals to the wild (mainly wolves) has created debate. Ranchers and other opponents consider the reintroduction of the wolf a threat to their herds. Wolves are also being introduced in other areas like the Yellowstone area and Idaho. A solution was created by a non-profit organization called “Defenders of Wildlife.” They created a fund to reimburse ranchers for livestock lost to wolves. This shifted the economic burden to the wolf proponents themselves.