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Mesa Verde National Park Given Permission To Remove Livestock

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Mesa Verde National Park staff have received permission to remove trespassing cattle and horses from the park/NPS file

Mesa Verde National Park staff have received permission to remove trespassing cattle and horses from the park/NPS file

If funding becomes available, Mesa Verde National Park staff this spring will begin removing unclaimed livestock that has been roaming the park's landscape.

Last week the park received permission from Kate Hammond, the acting Intermountain regional director, to begin removing the livestock.

A year ago when Mesa Verde released a draft proposal to deal with the livestock, they said it would take five years to remove a dozen cattle and 80 horses that have been trespassing on park property. They added that it could take a decade to improve fencing along the park's boundaries to prevent livestock from returning to the park.

The National Park Service considered two alternatives in the environmental assessment for dealing with the problem livestock. Alternative B, the approved action, will capture and remove trespass livestock from Mesa Verde. It will include a two-phased approach through a short-term (1 to 2 years) and long-term removal process, followed by disposal of unclaimed livestock by public or private sale, auction, adoption, or donation on-site, with the NPS issuing a bill of sale.

Boundary fence replacement and maintenance will be prioritized to maximize livestock exclusion. Mese Verde staff will collaborate with interested livestock advocacy groups during the capture and disposal process when and where appropriate.  
 

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