BLM and University of Wyoming Advance Wild Horse Movement Study

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the University of Wyoming (UW) are collaborating on a groundbreaking study to track wild horse movements in Wyoming's Adobe Town Herd Management Area (HMA). By using radio collars, they aim to gather crucial data on migration patterns and herd dynamics, enhancing conservation efforts for these majestic animals.

As part of this movement study, the BLM collared 16 additional mares during the completion of the appropriate management level gather in the Adobe Town HMA. There are now 30 collared mares in the area. The University of Wyoming is utilizing these radio collars to gain insights into how wild horses interact with their environment. The study's results are expected to provide the BLM with new information to ensure that healthy wild horse herds continue to thrive on healthy rangelands.

The BLM and UW initiated this effort last winter, using bait-trapping to gather the mares before collaring them. Initially, 14 mares were collared, but the effort was halted due to unfavorable weather conditions. Five of the original GPS collars had to be removed: three due to transmission issues and two because they were too loose, potentially posing a risk to the mares.

"This study is on the cutting edge of integrating the most sophisticated technology to understand horse ecology," said UW’s Derek Scasta, PhD, assistant professor and Extension rangeland specialist. "To truly understand and manage a species, you have to learn as much as you can, and the use of collars has been applied to many threatened and endangered species globally. Through the efforts of many local, state, and federal partners, we are now catching up in horse management and conservation."

June Wendlandt, BLM Wyoming wild horse and burro program lead, added, "This project is already showing that radio collars are safe for wild horses. The Wyoming Department of Agriculture, University of Wyoming, and BLM all stepped up and did something that has not been done before to better our understanding of the wild horses we manage."

Additional information on the movement study can be found on the gather website.

Originally posted by The Horse