Planned roundup of wild Arizona horses halted: forest official

By David Schwartz PHOENIX (Reuters) - A top forest service official in Arizona on Thursday halted a proposed roundup of about 100 wild horses roaming on public lands near Phoenix, following a public outcry and a legal challenge filed by conservationists. Neil Bosworth, supervisor of the Tonto National Forest, said he will take "another look" at the proposal to oust the horses from their long-standing home there, some 75 miles (120 km) northeast of Phoenix. "The Forest Service will continue to engage with the local community, state and federal officials to explore potential alternatives for meeting our obligations for both land stewardship and public safety," Bosworth said in a statement. Forest managers, citing fear for public safety, had issued a notice of intent to remove the equines from the well-traveled recreational area of the Tonto forest, which they said has seen an increasing number of visitors and vehicles in recent years. Plans called for the horses to be auctioned by the state or at a private sale, and that the remaining horses may be "condemned and destroyed, or otherwise disposed of." Though the measure would have gone into effect on Friday, officials had stressed on Wednesday that no timetable for the roundup had been established. The planned removal sparked public outrage by horse lovers and conservationists and prompted the non-profit Salt River Wild Horse Management Group to seek a federal court injunction on Wednesday to try to block the Forest Service's plans. The Salt River Wild Horse Management Group says the wild horses have lived in the Tonto forest for decades and their presence traces back hundreds of years. According to the group's legal complaint, the removal would go against the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 that was passed to protect these animals. Simone Netherlands, the group's president, said she appreciated the latest move by federal officials but still had questions. Left unresolved is whether the round-up would be permanently canceled and whether land managers would engage in talks about the group's proposal on how to humanely manage the horses, Netherlands said. The forest service's latest decision also prompted several members of Arizona's congressional delegation to call for delays, including U.S. senators John McCain and Jeff Flake. In a joint statement, the two senators on Thursday said the decision to reexamine plans was a "step in the right direction" and that forest managers still need to work to address people's concerns.