LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – The free-roaming or feral horses on Mt. Charleston keep sifting through trash cans for food, and U.S. Forest Service officials describe the issue as a growing problem for the area.
Federal authorities urge local residents to get wildlife-proof trash cans to stop the horses from dumpster diving. A U.S. Forest Service spokesperson tells FOX5, officials will work to boost education for long-time and new residents, and reach out to local partners like Republic Services to mitigate the issue.
FOX5 previously reported on the issue in August‚ but since then, residents explain how the problem has escalated. Video and pictures show horses aggressively seeking out homeowners’ trash cans for tasty morsels. Driveways and streets are left littered with debris.
Residents say the problem stem from the many tourists and some locals who feed the horses; the horses, in turn, have no fear or cars or people.
It is a federal offense to feed, pet or approach a horse or a burro. Federal authorities urge people to keep a safe distance to prevent horses from charging, biting or kicking.
“We’ve almost created an irreversible problem because of their reliance on humans and the food that we provide them,” said Janet Masanz of the Mt. Charleston Town Advisory Board.
“Collectively, we all have to stop. We have to shoo the horses away from the roadway, shoo the horses away from our picnic sites. If we could start showing them that we don’t want them that close to us, we don’t want them around, that could be a solution,” Masanz said.
The issue is tied to an ongoing fierce debate among residents: whether the horses and burros should stay or be relocated by the feds off the mountain for their safety, due to dangerous encounters with cars and people. FOX5 reported that a three-year-old was kicked in the head by a mustang after a close encounter in Lee Meadows.
The Mt. Charleston Town Advisory Board has been urging residents to get ties for their trash cans to prevent wildlife access. They have reached out to Republic Services to ask how more residents can obtain them.
Back in August, Republic Services told FOX5 that residents should not leave garbage out overnight and put their trash out on the day of service. Residents can request a trash can with locking mechanisms at an additional cost and call customer service at 702-735-5151.
The U.S. Forest Service also provided the following advice for residents to deter horses from coming around:
- Never leave picnics or human food unattended
- Consider bear-resistant containers for trash disposal
- Remove bird feeders, as well as pet/livestock food to avoid attracting animals
- Do not provide water to wildlife including wild horses
- Fence off grass lawns
Copyright 2024 KVVU. All rights reserved.
