During a period of personal hardship in the late 19th century, Theodore Roosevelt sought solace in the wide-open spaces of the Dakota Territory. One particularly vivid image he recounted in his writings is of the wild horses he encountered at the Elkhorn Ranch. Even today, descendents of those horses freely wander the landscapes of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park in western North Dakota. However, the presence of these majestic creatures is not seen as a welcome sight by all, with some park officials criticising their presence and labelling them as “livestock”.
Opponents of the wild horses argue that they originate from Eurasian stock, dismissing their significance as an invasive species in North America. However, it is important to remember that horses are native to North America – the horse family tree actual originated here. Furthermore, North America’s equine population was decimated around 10,000 years ago, likely due to the expansion of human hunters.
Despite their deep evolutionary connection, horses disappeared from this part of the globe for a fraction of the geological timescale, largely due to human activity. Yet their reintroduction by settlers has been swift enough that future geologists would hardly detect their absence from the fossil record. Now, the question arises again: do we remove them from one of the last wild refuges we’ve strived to protect?
An environmental assessment from the National Park Service suggests that evicting the wild horses would highlight the native wildlife and vegetation of the park. But, such phrasing could be seen as a misconstrued perception of the horse as an intruder usurping the rights of more qualified lifeforms in a park where fossilized horse bones can be found just beneath the topsoil.
If you have an opinion on this subject, remember that a public comment period is currently underway, set to conclude on October 25. Traditionally, there is significant public support for allowing the wild horses to remain. You can submit your opinion here.
Regardless of whether or not you have plans to visit Theodore Roosevelt National Park or live anywhere near it, these are our parks and these are our horses. Every American should feel empowered to have a voice in this matter, as it’s a piece of the legacy that Roosevelt himself strived to preserve when he massively expanded our National Park System.
Based on Roosevelt’s original writings and actions, one might suggest that he would argue in favor of allowing the horses to remain. In fact, they could be seen as a living testament to a pivotal turning point in his life and an important touchstone within the very roots of our collective American identity.
For any questions or further information, you can reach out to the writer of this article, Jonathan Wolf, a civil litigator and author at: jon_wolf@hotmail.com.