Fast Start for BLM Horse Roundup in Las Vegas

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has made significant progress in its emergency roundup of wild horses in the mountains outside Las Vegas. Initially expected to take at least a week, the operation is already two-thirds complete, with 132 horses collected in the first three days.

Rapid Progress in Horse Collection

According to Karla Norris, assistant manager for the BLM's Southern Nevada district, the roundup is proceeding faster than anticipated. "It's going faster than we thought," Norris stated, predicting the operation would likely conclude before the week's end.

The BLM began gathering horses Saturday near Cold Creek, about 50 miles northwest of Las Vegas. Officials cited drought and overpopulation as reasons for the roundup, which aims to prevent starvation among the horses.

Methodology and Current Status

Norris explained that the BLM set up a corral baited with hay and water to attract the most emaciated horses. "It was like putting up a 'free buffet' sign. They just came right into the corral," she said.

So far, only a few foals have been gathered due to the harsh conditions on the range this year, which have affected their survival rates.

Future Plans for Captured Horses

Approximately 30 horses have been moved to the BLM-owned Oliver Ranch in Red Rock Canyon for further examination and feeding. Eventually, all captured horses will be relocated to a private ranch in Utah for rehabilitation before being offered for sale or adoption. Horses that do not find homes will live out their lives at off-range holding pastures in the Midwest, which currently house about 40,000 once-wild horses.

Background and Context

In May, the BLM counted about 470 adult horses in the 102,000 acres surrounding Cold Creek, far exceeding the agency's "appropriate management level" of 66 horses. The last roundup in the area occurred in 2007, when 101 animals were removed.

Originally posted by Las Vegas Review Journal