Feral cows slowly taking over the vast Gila Wilderness in southwestern New Mexico will be gunned down by a shooters in a helicopter next week, officials said.
U.S. Forest Service managers approved the plan Thursday, after it was voted through by the Grant County Board of Commissioners last month, according to a press release from the federal agency. It’s part of an effort to protect and prevent future damage to the nation’s first specially designated wilderness area.
The estimated 150 feral cattle “are not domesticated animals and pose a significant threat to public safety and natural resources.” Authorities said the cows acted aggressively toward tourists and that they have wreaked havoc on more sensitive areas of the Gila National Forest.
A section of the Gila Wilderness will be closed to the public starting Monday and the “aerial shooting” will take place over four days starting Thursday, officials said.
The plan has sparked some backlash from activists and ranchers who believe it amounts to animal cruelty, but authorities maintain it is the most “efficient and humane way” to deal with the animals.
“This has been a difficult decision, but the lethal removal of feral cattle from the Gila Wilderness is necessary to protect public safety, threatened and endangered species habitats, water quality, and the natural character of the Gila Wilderness,” said Camille Howes, Gila National Forest Supervisor.
Howes added officials hope the move will “restore the wilderness character of the Gila Wilderness enjoyed by visitors from across the country.”