BLM Wild Horse & Burro Advisory Board Meeting: Ignoring Livestock Impact

The recent BLM Wild Horse & Burro Advisory Board meeting in Washington, D.C., highlighted the ongoing challenges facing America's wild horses and burros. Despite public support for humane management, the meeting focused on blaming wild horses for rangeland degradation while ignoring the impact of livestock grazing. New board members were introduced, and controversial recommendations were made, sparking concern among advocates.

Meeting Overview

The BLM Wild Horse & Burro Advisory Board (AB) meeting, held on October 29-31, continued the agency's focus on wild horses as the primary cause of rangeland destruction. The board discussed using all available tools, including massive roundups and sterilization, to address the issue, aiming for the near extinction of wild horses and burros.

The AB is meant to represent all stakeholders, with the American public being the largest group supporting the protection of wild horses and burros. However, the board appears to prioritize the interests of the subsidized private livestock grazing industry, with no mention of livestock numbers or their impact on public lands.

A complete agenda for the meeting can be found here.

New Board Members

Susan McAlpine, representing Humane Advocacy, and Vernon C. Bleich, representing Wildlife Management, are the newly appointed AB members. Both seem to support the BLM's stance of blaming wild horses for rangeland issues and advocating for their removal to save them from starvation.

Ms. McAlpine, from Arizona, has a background in horse training and advocacy, with degrees in Secondary Education and Instructional Design. Dr. Bleich, from Texas, has over 40 years of experience studying western wildlife populations and is a research professor at the University of Nevada, Reno. Neither has direct experience with in-the-wild management of wild horses and burros.

Controversial Statements

The meeting featured several controversial statements from AB members:

• Dr. Tom Lenz criticized the American public's involvement in horse management, suggesting that decisions should be made by experts.
• Dr. Susan McDonald expressed disappointment over misinformation about spaying, referring to concerned individuals as "emotionally fragile."
• Steve Yardley inquired about research into early-term abortions for foals.
• Fred Woehl questioned the long-term effects of the PZP fertility control vaccine, despite its 30-year history and extensive research.

Special Guest: William Perry Pendley

William Perry Pendley, Acting Deputy Director of BLM Policy and Programs, described wild horses and burros as an "existential threat" to public lands. Despite admitting his limited knowledge of the issue, he advocated for more roundups, removals, and fertility control research.

Pendley criticized the National Environment Policy Act (NEPA) as a burden, reflecting his career-long advocacy for transferring public lands to private ownership.

Wild Horse and Burro Program Overview

Bruce Rittenhouse, Acting Wild Horse and Burro Division Chief, emphasized the need to reduce wild horse populations to Appropriate Management Levels (AML) before implementing fertility control. He dismissed the use of PZP/PZP 22, citing logistical challenges, despite its proven efficacy.

Rittenhouse presented FY 2019 statistics, including an estimated wild horse and burro population of 88,090, with 7,276 animals removed from the range. He noted a 35% increase in private placements, potentially linked to the BLM's $1,000 adoption incentive.

Major Points and Recommendations

The AB emphasized several points, including the belief that wild horses and burros are the sole cause of rangeland degradation, despite no mention of livestock grazing or climate change. They advocated for massive roundups and removals to reach AML and suggested spaying and gelding as necessary tools.

The board made six recommendations to the BLM and U.S. Forest Services, including implementing management strategies that involve sterilization and sale for slaughter, conflicting with current science and public opinion.

Recommendation #3 encourages collaboration with Tribal authorities, raising concerns about potential negative impacts on wild horse populations.

Presentations and Reports

• A Bright Idea, a marketing firm, presented a campaign to increase horse and burro placements.
• Krystal Johnson demonstrated the expanded BLM Online Corral, aiming to present more animals for placement.
• Meredith Kueck provided an overview of the improved Wild Horse and Burro Program System (WHBPS).
• Dr. Paul Griffin reported on ongoing research into fertility control and management applications.

The meeting highlighted the BLM's continued focus on aggressive management strategies, raising concerns among advocates for wild horses and burros.