Wild Horses Die from Unknown Disease

U.S. government officials say an unknown and fast-spreading disease has killed 85 wild horses in less than one week in the western state of Colorado.

Federal officials made the announcement Wednesday. The number of deaths at a federal corral, or holding area for horses, increased from an earlier announcement of 67.

Steven Hall of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, BLM, told Reuters the facility is under quarantine. That means animals are not permitted to enter or leave the area.

More than 2,500 animals are held at the facility in Canon City, 190 kilometers southwest of Denver. Animals that are sick or have been exposed to infected horses are being kept away from the healthy ones.

A BLM statement earlier this week said, "Wild horses at the Wild Horse facility in Canon City have been infected with an unknown yet highly contagious¹ and sometimes fatal disease."

Fatal is a term that means deadly.

Most of the sickened horses had been transported from Rio Blanco County, near the neighboring state of Utah. Officials collected the animals last autumn, the BLM said.

Hall said the dead animals are being examined. Blood and tissue samples are being carefully studied at two university laboratories.

"The main symptoms seem to be respiratory issues and chest congestion²," Hall said, adding that federal, state and independent veterinarians are investigating the issue.

Horses are not native to the United States. Their ancestors were animals freed or left by people during the settlement of the American West. The BLM said the horses must be controlled because the animals damage water supplies and eat food that native species eat. There are an estimated 80,000 wild horses in the U.S.

The agency collects some of the wild animals in events called roundups. BLM transports the animals to holding areas where some are sold.

Activists³ say the roundups and living conditions for the animals are inhumane.

Suzanne Roy of the American Wild Horse Campaign said in a statement posted on the group's website, "Disease outbreaks and deaths are the direct result of the BLM's mass roundups."

Roy added, "We can expect to see more suffering and death if BLM continues down this dangerous and destructive path."

Words in This Story

facility – n. something (such as a building or large piece of equipment) that is built for a specific purpose

contagious – adj. capable of being easily spread to others

sample – n. a small amount of something that gives you information about the thing it was taken from

respiratory – adj. medical: of or relating to breathing or the organs of the body that are used in breathing

congestion – n. the state of being blocked with fluid (such as blood or mucus)

species – n. (biology) a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants : a group of related animals or plants that is smaller than a genus

1 contagious   

adj.传染性的，有感染力的

参考例句：

• It's a highly contagious infection.这种病极易传染。
• He's got a contagious laugh.他的笑富有感染力。

2 congestion   

n.阻塞，消化不良

参考例句：

• The congestion in the city gets even worse during the summer.夏天城市交通阻塞尤为严重。
• Parking near the school causes severe traffic congestion.在学校附近泊车会引起严重的交通堵塞。

3 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》