New Act Mandates 150 Wild Horses Must Stay in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Restricting Removals

This bill, officially named the Theodore Roosevelt National Park Wild Horses Protection Act, sets a hard line on the management of the park’s iconic wild horses. Essentially, it tells the Secretary of the Interior that they must keep a minimum of 150 genetically diverse horses in the South Unit of the park, making the current herd a permanent fixture. This isn’t just a suggestion; it’s a mandate that changes the entire management strategy for this specific population.

The Herd is Staying Put

For anyone who loves seeing these horses or those who just want clear rules on public land, this bill provides certainty. The key change is the population floor: a minimum of 150 horses must be maintained (SEC. 2). This means park management can’t decide to phase out the herd or reduce it significantly unless they hit that 150 mark first. Furthermore, the Secretary is given a tight 120-day deadline to draft a formal management plan. This plan has to balance two potentially tricky goals: managing the horses in a cost-effective way while also ensuring the park’s natural resources aren’t harmed. It’s a classic balancing act between budget and environmental protection.

Removal Just Got Harder

Perhaps the biggest shift for park operations and local groups is the strict limitation on removing horses. Under this Act, the Secretary cannot remove any horses—or help anyone else remove them—unless it’s specifically for two reasons (SEC. 2). First, removal can happen if it’s part of the pre-approved management plan aimed at maintaining genetic diversity (think rotating the herd to prevent inbreeding). Second, removal is only allowed in genuine emergencies or when public health and safety are at risk. This provision essentially takes away the option for broad, management-driven herd reductions, except under very specific circumstances. If you’re a rancher or local resident who might have previously advocated for a smaller herd, this bill makes that much less likely to happen.

Transparency and the Fine Print

To keep everyone honest, the bill requires the Secretary to conduct annual check-ups on the horse population—looking at their health, structure, and total numbers—and then share those results publicly. This mandatory annual reporting increases transparency and gives advocacy groups and the public the data needed to hold the park accountable for meeting the 150-horse minimum and maintaining their health (SEC. 2). However, there's a bit of wiggle room in the details. The bill mandates 'genetically diverse' horses and the protection of 'natural resources,' but it doesn't clearly define what those terms mean in practice. This leaves some discretion to the Secretary when drafting the 120-day management plan, which could affect how strictly environmental protection is prioritized against the cost-effectiveness mandate.