Sherri Christian, Independence, Mo.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park, announced in December 2022 their intention to ELIMINATE THE ENTIRE HERD OF WILD HORSES. They are formulating their process of how to eliminate this herd NOW in their Environmental Analysis, due this summer.

TRNP’s stated reason to remove the wild horses: To make room to add more bison to the current 600+ herd. Therefore, their stated claim that they are protecting forage for “long-term sustainability” is an outright lie. They are choosing to trade one grazing animal for another.

Governor Burgum, Senator Cramer, and Senator Hoeven have all spoken out in favor of keeping the horses. They have even offered state resources to help the park keep this wild horse herd at the healthy level of 150 to 200 adult horses. Yet TRNP remains silent to this offer!

North Dakota legislators have passed resolution SCR 4014 asking the park to allow the wild horses and longhorn cattle to stay.  Organizations, newspapers, and businesses from all across the state have all spoken out, pleading with the park to keep the wild horses. Thousands of individuals from across the nation, and countries around the world, have written TRNP, begging for the wild horses to be kept in a healthy breeding population.

Strangely, Congressman Kelly Armstrong remains steadfast with TRNP to remove the wild horses. He was elected to be the voice of the people of North Dakota. He has received hundreds of emails: some documenting scientific research in support of keeping the wild horses in this National Park, others outlining the tremendous loss to tourism and local economies with the loss of these wild horses. 

Congressman Armstrong can no longer assume the administrators of this National Park are making the “best decision based on science so future generations can enjoy the park.” Future generations will not come to North Dakota to enjoy this park. Hundreds of tourists have stated they will never come to North Dakota again, for any reason, if these wild horses are removed. 

Why is Congressman Armstrong ignoring the will of his constituents?  

Why is he ignoring the tremendous negative impact this action will have on his state of North Dakota? 

Why does he hold an allegiance with TRNP more important than his constituents?

His colleagues created SCR 4014 as an excellent example of what the people of North Dakota are asking from our elected officials and from TRNP.

It is time for Congressman Armstrong to step up and publicly stand with the will of the people of North Dakota and ask that the wild horses be humanely managed by TRNP according to science in a healthy breeding herd. 

Despite growing support, these horses are absolutely NOT safe.  It is going to take active and vocal support from everyone to keep them wild and free in North Dakota’s only national park. 

These wild horses are a National legacy and a North Dakota legacy. Please stand to protect them.