Heber mustang walks confidently upon his daily rounds. Photo Copyright by Craig C Downer May, 2021

PLEASE READ THIS THOROUGH ECOLOGICAL & HERD STUDY BY WILDLIFE ECOLOGIST CRAIG C DOWNER. THIS PEER-REVIEWED REPORT WAS JUST PUBLISHED (11/2022) & EXPOSES MUCH THAT IS WRONG & HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS WHILE INDICATING WHAT MUST HAPPEN TO REMEDY THIS UNACCEPTABLE SITUATION. OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS MUST NOT CONTINUE TO DENY THESE ECOLOGICALLY BENEFICIAL & HISTORICALLY ROOTED WILD MUSTANGS THEIR LEGALLY GUARANTEED & VIABLY SIZED HABITAT & POPULATION. THEY ARE REAL ASSETS TO THIS REGION & HAVE AN IMPRESSIVE JUSTIFICATION FOR BEING HERE, BUT AMERICANS MUST STAND UP TO DEFEND THEIR RIGHTS TO REMAIN IN ADEQUATELY SIZED HABITATS & AS A GENETICALLY VIABLE HERD. WE MUST UPHOLD THE WILD FREE-ROAMING HORSES AND BURROS ACT & MAKE SURE THAT OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS DO LIKEWISE! ALSO, PLEASE CONSIDER CONTACTING YOUR ELECTED & FOREST SERVICE OFFICIALS & PUBLIC SERVANTS CONCERNING THE URGENT NEED FOR RESTORING PROTECTIONS & RECOGNIZED LEGAL RIGHTS OF THE HEBER & ALL THE ASNF WILD HORSES.
— HAPPY THANKGIVING 2022! PLEASE REMEMBER TO GIVE THANKS FOR BLESSINGS RECEIVED & TO HELP THOSE IN NEED, INCLUDING THESE PRECIOUS MUSTANGS!

CLICK HERE TO READ CRAIG’S VERY IMPORTANT & INFORMATIVE REPORT ON THE HEBER ASNF MUSTANGS & THEIR HABITAT. THIS HAS WONDERFUL PHOTOS & OTHER DOCUMENTATION PROVING THE URGENT NEED FOR REFORM & RESTORATION OF THIS VALUABLE & REMARKABLE AMERICAN HERITAGE HERD! SCROLL DOWN THEN BE SURE TO CLICK ON THE TITLE OF CRAIG’S REPORT FOR IT TO COME UP!

THIS FOLLOWING ABSTRACT IS FROM THIS CRUCIAL REPORT THAT WILL MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE FOR THIS VALUABLE, FREE & NATURALLY LIVING HERD:

The wild horses of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests (ASNF) and their legal habitat located in the Mogollon Rim region of eastern Arizona were the focus of the present investigation (see Fig.-s 4 and 5). Major logging of ponderosa pines, major cattle grazing and major trophy elk, deer and other game hunting seem to be the principal management goals of the Black Mountain Ranger District (BMRD) and the entire ASNF, while wild horse conservation is given minor priority. Given high disturbances from the major factors, it is surprising that the ecosystem we examined is functioning as well as our transects indicate. The impacts of vehicles and roads, fences to accommodate the intensive trampling and grazing by cattle, as well as frequent vehicle entries — all combine to disrupt this ecosystem. I propose that the wild horses themselves are major mitigators of ASNF’s ecosystem-disturbing impacts and contribute very positively to maintaining its integrity. Given the major attention this herd and its habitat have received and the moderate growth it has demonstrated over several decades, the Secretary of Agriculture should seriously consider declaring this herd to be a Study Herd under Section 10 of the Wild Free-roaming Horses and Burros Act (WFHBA).