New Research Could be a Game Changer for Wild Horses and Burros

Former TCF intern Elke Tukker takes on Wild Horse Management from a Cultural Perspective.

What do you do when you have a BIG passion for wild horses but don't have the money to help? You think outside the box! 

Elke Tukker's fascination with wild horses and burros started long before her internship at TCF - but as she traveled with Ginger, and witnessed the magnificence of wild horses in their natural environment, that passion grew into a determination to take action. 

A background in History and Environmental Science gave Elke a unique perspective. She became keenly aware that the government's management of wild horses lacked public input, as well as constructive, community-inclusive solutions. 

"I remember watching Fools Crows's band with Dana and Ginger, and we saw Fresia- one of his mares at the time- standing right next to a California Bighorn ram. I suddenly became aware of how the first was considered by some as "feral livestock" and how the other was considered "wildlife". Yet there they stood together in the wild. It made little sense to me then, and still eludes me now, how such a value-statement can ever be considered a truth. And yet, in science, it often is. There must be more awareness of the role culture plays in conservation science, before we can truly develop effective management strategies." 

Today, Elke has chosen to focus her academic career on wild horses in order to help move this debate forward. She is pursuing a PhD at Colorado State University and has started a crowdfund to fund her research, which will be a fresh take on the value of wild horses from a cultural perspective. 

We promise after watching her video you'll be as blown away as we are by her grit and ambition to protect our fast disappearing wild mustangs! You can click below to read more and support this promising new research.