Wild horses wouldn't be wildlife in Nevada

Wild horses - symbols of the American West that receive protections from the federal government - would have less standing than mollusks when it comes to Nevada water law under a measure that seeks to deny mustangs and burros status as wild animals. The six lines contained in the measure define the term "wildlife" as "any wild mammal, wild bird, fish, reptile amphibian, mollusk or crustacean found naturally in a wild state, whether indigenous to Nevada or not and whether raised in captivity of not. The term does not include any wild horse or burro." Under state law, holders of water rights must show "beneficial use" of the valuable resource before a permit is granted by the state engineer. Benefiting wildlife is one such allowable use. Wild horse advocates say if the bill passes it will deprive the animals access to water across the harsh desert landscape. Backers of the bill deny that claim. They argue that the bill's intent is to keep the federal government from obtaining new water rights specifically for horses in the future, and force the federal government's hand to deal with too many horses on the range. AB329 received bipartisan support in the Assembly, passing 35-7. It's up for hearing Friday before the Senate Natural Resources Committee...more

Let's look again at AP writer Sandra Chereb's lead paragraph:

Wild horses - symbols of the American West that receive protections from the federal government - would have less standing than mollusks when it comes to Nevada water law under a measure that seeks to deny mustangs and burros status as wild animals.

Sandra, do you really consider that to be a fair and objective paragraph? One day they are "symbols of the American West" but tomorrow they will be treated lower than a "mollusk"? Thing is, they are livestock by anyone's definition and should be treated as such. The only thing they are symbols of is poor management by the federal agencies.

The symbol of the American West is the cowboy, and that is who Nevada is trying to protect with this law.