The herd “poses a significant threat to public safety,” New Mexico state officials said, urging residents to exercise extreme vigilance.
Be careful, bad cows. This Friday, February 17, the American authorities announced that they would try to eliminate about 150 wild cows classified as “aggressive” in the coming days. And from a helicopter, specialized agents will slaughter the herd.
This operation was scheduled to last four days, between February 23 and 26, in the Gila National Forest in western New Mexico, a state in the southwestern United States, US authorities further clarified to the media. “It was a difficult decision, but the removal of wild livestock from the area is necessary to ensure public safety and to protect the habitats of threatened and endangered species (…)” Gila National Forest Officer Camille Howes is justified .
“Aggressive towards pedestrians”
“These wild cattle are not domestic animals and pose a significant threat to public safety and natural resources,” the Forest Service recalled in a press release published Feb. 16. And in detail: “The wild cattle of the Gila forest were aggressive towards hikers”.
Shooting cows from the air is “the most efficient and humane way to deal with this problem,” according to forest officials. “This action will help restore the wilderness of the forest,” they say.