Congratulations to Craig Downer for this article published in the American Journal of Life Sciences.
SOURCE: SCIENCE PUBLISHING GROUP
American Journal of Life Sciences
2014; 2(1): 5-23 Published online January 30, 2014 (http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ajls) doi: 10.11648/j.ajls.20140201.12
The horse and burro as positively contributing returned natives in North America
Craig C. Downer
Andean Tapir Fund, P.O. Box 456, Minden, NV 89423-0456 USA
Email address:
ccdowner@aol.com
To cite this article:
Craig C. Downer. The Horse and Burro as Positively Contributing Returned Natives in North America.
American Journal of Life Sciences . Vol. 2, No. 1, 2014, pp. 5-23. doi: 10.11648/j.ajls.20140201.12
Abstract:
Since the Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, debate has raged over whether horses and burros are restored North American natives. Fossil, genetic and archeological evidence supports these species as native.
Also, objective evaluations of their respective ecological niches and the mutual symbioses of post-gastric digesting, seminomadic equids support wild horses and burros as restorers of certain extensive North American ecosystems. A Reserve Design strategy is proposed to establish naturally self-stabilizing equine populations that are allowed to harmoniously adapt over generations within their bounded and complete habitats. These populations should meet rigid standards for viability based on IUCN SSC assessments (2,500 individuals). Basic requirements are described for successful Reserve Design including viable habitat as well as specific regions of North America where this could be implemented…
1. Introduction
All branches of the horse family (Equidae) share an ancient evolutionary origin and long-standing duration in North America, having evolved here for ca. 60-million years ago. Few other mammalian families can lay as much claim to native status and belonging on this continent. Two other extant families in the Order Perissodactyla are the tapir and the rhinoceros families, and both are similarly rooted in North America.
Read the rest of Craig’s article HERE.
Categories: Horse News, Wild Burros, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
The compelling evidence as presented by Craig C. Downer has more validity than anything the BLM, and other anti-horse and burro entities, have come up with in their quest to render to extinction the wild horse and burro populations, despite the protection they are supposed to have under the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971.
Personally, I always believed that horses and burros were native to North America and not just deposited here by early voyagers. That just didn’t make sense, unless they brought them over by the thousands, and distributed them from Mexico to the Arctic, and from Atlantic to Pacific. Archeological finds, ancient art and artifacts, and oral history of native indigenous people do not support that theory, or anything like it.
It is my hope and prayer that Craig Downer’s report will remove any doubt, once and for all, and securely establish the equine in their rightful place of protection and respect, making it illegal to remove, harm or kill wild equine, and mandate strong punishment for abuse and miss-use of any equine whether wild, free roaming, “owned” or claimed by any person, group, company, organization, government agency, or entity.
Horses, burros, donkeys (all equine) have contributed in gargantuan proportions to humankind all through the ages and do still. For this, we OWE them decent treatment. We OWE them protection. And we OWE them proper care. Yet they are some of the most abused, violently treated, heartlessly murdered, and severely neglected animals. This has to halt, turn around, and never be allowed again!
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You are so right, Sue, and your sincerity shines through like a bright light! Together we can turn the situation around positively for the horses and burros and the kind of life they deserve with as much natural freedom as possible. They know how to live and whay they are here and do not have to be told by arrogant people about this! They have so much to teach us!
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Thank you Craig for your reply. Yes, the horses and burros certainly do have the wisdom and instinct to live and thrive without regulation, management, or interference by humankind.
As Daryl says below… BLM has two more roundups planned. We simply MUST stop this destructive force of the BLM and find a way to entirely deactivate, disband and terminate BLM’s wild horse “management” agenda, and ultimately return the already captured and warehoused horses and burros back to the freedom they need and deserve. Until things are made right for them, I feel that the balance of nature is harmed and the influence they should have on America as symbols of strength, beauty and freedom is significantly damaged. Let’s turn this around once and for all.
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Craig Downer is without a doubt one of the most dedicated scientists in America – dedicating his life toward searching, finding and sharing the truth about the wild horses and burros. Thank you and congratulations Craig.
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So appreciate your support. YOu do great work too for the horses! Together we can make a significant difference!
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“Fantastic compilation of the documented fossil record & the overall archaeological & historical record, for which there is more extensive carbon-dating than I had realized. Is anyone aware of any substantive pushback on this evidence from anyone scientist of stature ? If not, isn’t now the time to push for formal recognition of the American mustang as a native species, and then to petition for its being listed under the Endangered Species Act ? “
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There is pushback from the established cronies of the anti wild horse establishment, of course, and there are many of these. But it is all bluster and no substance. It is unscientific. Excellent idea on getting the petition going for the recognition as native species in North America, Carl. Thanks for your support. Together we can achieve a meaningful turnaround here!
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Craig,
Thank you for this extraordinary paper. You have provided information that is not available all in one pape about a specific species that includes the more than the fossil, genetic, and more varied form of paleoanthropological evidence than I have found as specifically described and shown in your photos. I suspect that it is known by the scientists whose work seems to be devoted in collecting as much of this type of information.
Great job. This paper should be very helpful.
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Thanks so much, HoofHugs. Yes many scientists know of this evidence but are beholden to the anti-wild-horse establishment for their jobs, etc., But more and more are finding within themselves the courage to speak out for the greater truth about the horses and burros. Together we can make the difference for the horses and burros!
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We need to unseat the BLM they have 2 more round ups they have paid for, more will die or be injured again, and the horses will be in pens for the rest of there lives, so how do we get them out of there? Idea’s are needed . We have to stop the leasing of the ground to others for oil and fracking that will take 150 years for the land to come back to b used again . Oh do we have our work cut out for us this year of the Horse.
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Great photos of very healthy horses in the Sand Wash HMA (just south of Rock Springs in Colorado)… slated for a roundup sometime in 2014 it seems.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sand-Wash-Basin-Wild-Horses/101181969939406?sk=reviews
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This kind of documentation of evidence is great to share among non-horse owners and advocates who are not tuned in to the wild horse and burro dilemma and the horse slaughter issue. I have many friends who have become aware through sharing this and other blogs, and they have been willing to sign petitions and write emails. Evidence of the origination of these animals in North America is icing on the cake.
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Thank you, once again, Craig Downer. Great article published in a prestigious journal.
We can always count on you. It is time for the new BLM board members to be appointed. I certainly hope you and RT will share positions on that board. Anything further we can do to get that done?
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THANK YOU and Congratulations, Craig. I’m already putting your hard work to use and posting it everywhere there is public format.
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Craig, we also present this at every opportunity. The Public needs to understand that there is a solution….one that does NOT require roundups OR removals.
It’s IN THE WILD MANAGEMENT coupled with RESERVE DESIGN.
Proposal for Wild Horse/Burro Reserve Design as a Solution to Present Crisis
by Craig C. Downer, Wildlife Ecologist
Click to access nhmv12i5downer.pdf
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CONGRATULATIONS CRAIG, from all those who can’t thank you in person 🙂
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Thank you again. The documentation is excellent. I will share this info with my legislators. Again, the facts speak for themselves. History has shown us how destructive man can be. Man has been at the root of extinction for thousands of years for many species. But we as warriors will fight to keep that from happening to the wild horses and burros. The blm are one of the most useless departments this government has. A dismantling of this department must be done. They hide behind the less than smart politicians who line their pockets from the blood money they receive. Please post the roundup dates and places if known for those of us not living in those areas. They must be stopped!
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Thanks again, for all your support and encouragement, friends. Friend of wild horse is my friend! By the way the new version of my book The Wild Horse Conspiracy was published yesterday and is available now on amazon or through me. I have greatly updated it, added a lot of new and compelling evidence and sources, made the Index more thorough and amplified so as to be of greater use to wh/b advocates, etc.
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