Hello and Happy Monday to everyone.  Everyone but 2019 Bachelor Stallion Alluvium that is!

Alluvium was captured by the park last week and has been sitting in the holding pens – without any shelter from the sun or rain we have had over the last week, while the park decides what to do with him.

First, we came upon this news by driving by the park and seeing Alluvium in the holding pens.  While Senator Hoeven has stated that the park would be transparent and collaborate with the public, we found no mention of Alluvium’s capture at all on the park’s horse portal, their website or anywhere to notify the public or stakeholders.  We emailed the park last week and believe we have ONLY received a response because we reached out to Senator Hoeven’s office when the park did not respond.  Is that how the public now has to communicate with the park?  Through Senator Hoeven’s office?  WHERE is the collaboration with the public?

The problem:

Alluvium is a 5-year-old bachelor stallion.  As a bachelor, he wants some mares of his own.  The park has a horse camp where visitors can bring their own horses and camp in Theodore Roosevelt National Park with them. 

From and email from Superintendent Angie Richman this morning:

“The horse in the holding pen was harassing visitors and visitor’s horses at the horse camp campground. Park staff relocated it once and it found its way back to the horse camp the next day. This is a nuisance animal that can potentially harm visitors or their animals. It will be held in the holding pen until it can be sold or transferred to a tribal partner or other government agency.”

Let’s be clear…

People brought horses into Alluvium’s home. 

Alluvium is a young bachelor only following natures natural hormonal instincts and HE is HARASSING the visitors. 

The park, she states, is concerned about visitor safety.

Fair enough.

Last year (or any year that this has happened) when a bison gored a park visitor, what did they do with the bison who actually harmed a park visitor? 

The answer: NOTHING!

This is more of the park using words to fit their narrative as a matter of convenience to continue to discriminate against the horses. 

Bison actually harm a visitor, and he gets to continue to live his life wild and free.  A horse becomes a “nuisance” animal, and he has to be removed because he MIGHT hurt a visitor.

What happens to bison who wander into the Cottonwood Campground?  We have heard countless stories of people waking up in their tents to find a bison in their campsite. 

How does the park define “nuisance”?   

Is there any consistency or rationale to any of the rules in the park?

Does it also seem like the other double standard applies here as Superintendent Richman appears concerned about the visitor experience for the people visiting the park who stay in the horse camp area but had no consideration for the visitors whose experience she deeply diminished as she wielded her pen and put the new “Exit and Entrance” policy in place last month. 

Did the person who they suspected “provoked” the bison last year get up to 6 months in jail and/or a $5,000 fine like anyone who breaks the new “Entrance and Exit” policy that was signed into the 2024 Compendium receives?

Answer: No.

If the park is going to allow people to camp in the park with their horses, maybe an easy solution would be to fence in that area so that the wild horses who live in the park are not tempted by their natural instincts and ultimately continue to lose their freedom.  I am sure the park will say they have no money for this.  Remember: the state of North Dakota is more than willing to help the park with anything they need help with and with any resources the state can provide. 

But then that would eliminate one possible way to continue to reduce the herd, wouldn’t it?

Minimally, they should issue a warning to visitors who choose to bring their horses into the park to camp.  If they choose to bring their horses, they have to understand that the park is a home first and foremost to the wild animals who live there.  As they choose to enter their home, they are doing so at their own risk.  The risk should not lie with the wildlife whose homes are being disturbed. 

We need your help to demand that Alluvium be released back into the park.  As a 5-year-old horse, it will not be easy to find him a home, especially when the park does not vet any of the buyers. 

Horses needing a series of “forever homes” has been a regular problem for the TRNP horses, ESPECIALLY in light of the latest news of the Legacy Mustang Sanctuary debacle that has called into question where 36 TRNP wild horses from a 2013 round up ended up.  Answer: more than likely the slaughter pipeline!

Please take a moment to send an email to Superintendent Richman, Regional Director Bert Frost, Congressmen Kelly Armstrong, Senator Kevin Cramer, Senator John Hoven, The ND Governor’s Office and your own federal legislators. We made it easy for you to take action by clicking here: https://secure.everyaction.com/4bIr7BLQ60SHxHhJLAI_-Q2

You can personalize these emails, but we do ask that you be respectful.

Thank you for your support and thank you for being a voice for Stallion Alluvium!

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