Drought Prompts Plan to Remove Wild Horses in Nevada

RENO, Nev. — The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is planning to remove wild horses from a large area in northeastern Nevada due to drought conditions. This decision comes two years after a similar removal of approximately 1,400 mustangs from the same region.

The BLM recently released the final environmental assessment for the proposed removal around the Triple B, Maverick-Medicine, and Antelope Valley herd management areas in Elko and White Pine counties. Although the exact number of horses to be removed has not been disclosed, officials state that the 1.8-million-acre area currently supports about 1,500 wild horses, while it can sustainably support only 548 to 1,015 mustangs.

BLM spokeswoman Lesli Ellis explained that the plan is driven by limited water and forage resources and the adverse impacts of horses congregating around springs. "Our goal is just to leave the appropriate amount of horses on the range that can be sustained," Ellis told The Associated Press.

However, horse advocates have criticized the plan, arguing that the wild horses should remain on the range. They point out that the number of wild horses in government holding facilities has reached an all-time high, increasing taxpayer costs.

According to a recent BLM report, 49,369 wild horses and 1,348 wild burros are currently housed in short- and long-term government corrals and pastures, compared to 31,500 wild horses and 5,800 burros remaining free in the wild.

Neda DeMayo, founder of the American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign), stated, "The BLM is forcing a crisis by stockpiling over 50,000 wild horses in holding facilities while pursuing the same failed management strategies. The tragedy is that humane and cost-effective solutions like birth control exist to keep wild horses wild, but the BLM is not utilizing them."

DeMayo's group is gathering signatures for an open letter to new Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, urging her to end the BLM's policy of removing wild horses from the range. The group claims it costs American taxpayers more than $120,000 per day to maintain captured mustangs in government facilities.

Jewell has indicated she will wait for a National Academy of Science report on the issue, expected in June, before taking any action.

Ellis mentioned that the northeastern Nevada gather will occur in various locations within the targeted area starting after June 13, based on necessity. However, specific dates remain undetermined due to budget constraints and other higher priority gathers.

Originally Posted By Associated Press