Feds Put Protection of Mice and Chickens Above Rights of Ranchers
It’s official: The federal government places the protection of mice and chickens above adhering to the constitutional rights of ranchers and the survival of their herds.
As anticipated by The New American in an earlier story on the subject, the U.S. Department of Interior and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have listed the lesser prairie chicken (shown) as a threatened species and placed the meadow jumping mouse on the endangered species list, protecting the alleged habitat of both animals from intrusion by people.
What effect will this have on the ranchers in southern New Mexico — ranchers already under assault from nature in the form of a two-year-long drought? The Associated Press reported, "Regional officials with the U.S. Forest Service have acknowledged they will have to put up fences or take other action to protect water sources for the mouse. Ranchers say that could force them to abandon...