Fish Creek Roundup: February 13, 2015

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) commenced the Fish Creek Roundup on February 13, 2015, with plans to remove approximately 500 wild horses from the Fish Creek Herd Management Area (HMA), located about 20 miles south of Eureka, Nevada. The operation involves treating around 150 mares with a two-year fertility control vaccine and releasing them back to the HMA along with approximately 150 studs. Additionally, the BLM aims to permanently remove up to 200 horses from the area.

Day 5:

Update from Laura Leigh, Wild Horse Education, who is observing the roundup:

64 wild horses were captured and removed today.

Day 3:

Update from Laura Leigh, Wild Horse Education, who is observing the roundup:

133 horses were rounded up and removed. On the way in, we found a horse with a broken leg. The BLM was alerted, and they reported it as an old injury. Two newborns today, both with moms. Adoption horses for the February 28th event in Eureka were transported.

Day 2:

Update from Laura Leigh, Wild Horse Education, who is observing the roundup:

Raul and his band were caught today. Both he and his lead mare (a big palomino ready to give birth) are expected to be returned to the range. 98 wild horses were captured today. It is always hard watching them captured, but harder when you have spent so much time with them.

Photos below by Wild Horse Education

Day 1:

Update from Laura Leigh, Wild Horse Education, who is observing the roundup:

Sarge was captured today. He was one of 36 taken from the range. This is one BLM field office where we are seeing progress. The objectives of the plan are to remove only younger horses for adoption and release everyone else. No sex ratio skewing. PZP will be used to humanely manage population numbers. The objective of the ten-year plan is to minimize removals as the herd is transitioned to on-the-range management with PZP via bait trapping and darting.

Update here: http://wildhorseeducation.org/2015/02/13/fish-creek-observation-reports/