BLM's 40-Year Mismanagement of Piceance Wild Horses: 20 Roundups and Counting
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has a long history of mismanagement in the Piceance East Douglas Herd Management Area (HMA) in Colorado. Over the past 40 years, the agency has conducted approximately 20 roundups, contributing to high population growth rates and ongoing challenges in wild horse management.
History of Roundups
Since 1980, the BLM has conducted roundups in the Piceance East Douglas HMA in the years 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2015, and 2017. This reliance on large-scale removals has led to compensatory reproduction among the remaining wild horse populations, as noted in a 2013 National Academy of Sciences report.
Current Challenges
Despite the resources spent on helicopter roundups, the BLM only began implementing a humane fertility control program last year, relying on volunteers. With an estimated population of 1,385 wild horses, another large roundup is planned, aiming to reduce the population to an unnaturally low level of 135 horses.
There is a crisis in BLM's off-range holding facilities, with nearly 60,000 wild horses and burros confined. Colorado has been particularly affected, with 145 wild horses dying in an outbreak at the Canon City corrals.
Political Response
Colorado Governor Jared Polis and Congressman Joe Neguse have requested a delay in the Piceance roundup to explore humane alternatives. However, the BLM has accelerated the start date, with bait trapping beginning as early as June 16 and helicopter operations starting on July 15.
At a recent public meeting, the BLM justified its actions by citing poor habitat conditions. However, a visit by AWHC's Scott Wilson showed that many areas are lush and the horses are in good condition.
Photo by WilsonAxpe Photography
Call for Reform
The BLM's actions have been criticized as a rejection of offers to find alternatives to overcrowding holding facilities. Humane solutions could include reducing removal numbers, relocating horses, and improving habitat resources. Pressure is mounting on the BLM to change its approach, with calls for oversight hearings on the Wild Horse and Burro Program.
Colorado, with its engaged public and political leadership, is poised to lead the way in holding the BLM accountable for its management practices. The coming weeks will reveal whether the agency is ready to embrace reform.
Suzanne Roy is the executive director of the American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Campaign).