WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — The topic of feral horses overgrazing lands that Navajo ranchers use to support their livestock was discussed during a recent report from the Navajo Nation Department of Agriculture to the Resources and Development Committee.

“The issue of feral horses encroaching and overgrazing on Navajo pasture land has been a long-standing problem,” RDC Chair Brenda Jesus said. “Feral horses are impeding on the livelihood of our Navajo ranchers.”

According to NNDOA Acting Department Manager III Jesse Jim, in 2018, the feral horse population on the Navajo Nation was approximately 38,000 with an 11% growth rate. In 2024, the NNDOA estimates there are approximately...

For the Diné, sheep are a part of their history. The animals are in their creation myths, and when the Spanish colonists first brought churro sheep, which are now called Navajo Churro sheep, to the Southwest, the animals soon became a part of the Diné economy and culture.

But the days of sheep camps and flocks roaming the plains and valleys in the Nation are long gone. On two separate occasions the Navajo Churro sheep came close to full extinction. Counting over one million head at one time, there were reportedly less than 500 left in the world by 1977.

 



A CHANGING INDUSTRY

As someone who works closely with ranchers who bring in their wool to sell, Dudley Byerley is...

A scheduled water outage that will affect parts of McKee Drive will take place on June 26 from 9 am to 5 pm.

The outage will affect City of Gallup residents in the following area:

• 600 block of McKee Drive

The FBI is assisting New Mexico's local, state, federal and tribal partners in the ongoing investigation of the fires near Ruidoso, New Mexico. The South Fork Fire and Salt Fire were discovered on June 17. The FBI is asking for the public's assistance in identifying the cause of these fires.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for starting the fires.

Anyone who may have any information pertaining to the cause of the fires can call 1-800-CALL-FBI or go online at tips.fbi.gov. They can also text "BIAMMU" to 847411 then "MESCALERO FIRE + the tip" or just BIAMMU to 847411 and the tip.