Public Invited to Observe Utah's Wild Horse Roundup
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has commenced a wild horse roundup in Utah's Swasey Herd Management Area, citing overpopulation concerns. The operation, located 50 miles west of Delta, is expected to last seven to ten days and aims to gather 262 horses. Of these, 100 will be released back into the area, with many mares treated with the contraceptive Porcine Zona Pellucida (PZP-22).
The public is invited to observe the gather, with information available online at http://on.doi.gov/Veoq7y.
This roundup is part of the BLM's strategy to manage federally protected horses and burros on public lands in the West. These animals, descendants of horses released by early European explorers, are not native to the range. While 36,000 horses roam free, about 50,000 are held in captivity at significant public expense.
Wild horse advocates argue that the roundups, often conducted by helicopter, traumatize the animals and divert taxpayer dollars to private contractors like Cattoor Livestock Roundup Co., the firm handling the Swasey roundup.
BLM officials defend the use of helicopters as a safe and efficient method, though they also employ bait trapping for smaller groups. Following recent concerns about mistreatment at a Nevada roundup, the BLM has strengthened guidelines to ensure humane treatment and public transparency.
Advocates suggest that reducing grazing pressure could eliminate the need for roundups. The BLM allows significant livestock grazing in the area, which advocates claim exceeds the number of horses.
According to the Cloud Foundation, a wild horse advocacy group, "Allocating them only 13 percent of the forage within their own HMA does not constitute a fair share, let alone a principal share."
Officials note that water scarcity, rather than forage, limits horse populations in the summer.