Largest Wild Horse Roundup of the Summer Begins in Nevada

The Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) largest wild horse roundup of the summer has commenced in Nevada, sparking significant criticism from humane organizations. Two mustangs have already died, raising concerns about the operation's impact on these majestic animals.

Roundup Details

• The BLM helicopter roundup began on July 9th, 2023, in the southern portion of Nevada’s Antelope Complex, which spans over 1.1 million acres outside Ely, Nevada.
• The BLM aims to capture 1,107 wild horses from the southern portion and another 2,000 from the northern part (Elko), totaling over 3,000 animals.
• The American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Campaign) has humane observers onsite to document the roundup and ensure humane treatment for the captured animals.

Current Status and Concerns

• As of now, 203 wild horses have been captured in the southern portion, with two deaths reported. A four-year-old female horse died from a traumatic injury on the first day, and a young foal died from colic on the second day.
• In the northern portion, 22 wild horses have been captured. Operations were canceled on July 10 due to high winds.
• Three orphan foals have been taken into foster care, raising questions about the separation of foals from their families during the roundup.

Advocacy and Alternatives

• The American Wild Horse Conservation questions the necessity of the roundup, advocating for more humane and cost-effective management tactics such as the PZP fertility control program.
• Concerns have been raised about the welfare of young foals and pregnant mares, emphasizing that the BLM should avoid chasing these vulnerable horses during the high summer heat and foaling season.

"If the BLM continues on a path of chasing mustangs in the high summer heat, vulnerable animals, including innocent foals, will continue to die," said Amelia Perrin, investigations manager with the AWHC. "The agency must halt its planned operations and instead shift towards humane in-the-wild management using a comprehensive fertility control vaccine program."

About the American Wild Horse Conservation

The American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC) is the nation's leading wild horse protection organization, with more than 700,000 supporters and followers nationwide. AWHC is dedicated to preserving the American wild horse and burros in viable, free-roaming herds for generations to come, as part of our national heritage. In addition to advocating for the protection and preservation of America's wild herds, AWHC implements the largest wild horse fertility control program in the world through a partnership with the State of Nevada for wild horses that live in the Virginia Range near Reno.