Utah Ranchers Sue to Reduce Wild Horse Population

A group of Utah ranchers has filed a lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management, demanding a reduction in the wild horse population on public grazing lands. The ranchers argue that the agency has failed to manage the herds, which are depleting grasses essential for cattle grazing.

The Western Rangeland Conservation Association, representing the ranchers, claims that the Bureau has violated the 1971 Wild Horses and Burro Act by not maintaining herd numbers at agency-set levels. The herds, which increase by about 20% annually, have not been culled for several years due to budget constraints.

The lawsuit, filed in Salt Lake City's U.S. District Court, highlights the costly damage caused by the horses, such as the destruction of fencing and water resources. Ranchers feel powerless to act because the horses are federally protected.

Megan Crandall, a spokeswoman for the Bureau of Land Management in Utah, declined to comment on the lawsuit, citing the agency's litigation policy. The lawsuit seeks an injunction against the Bureau and an order to round up the horses for adoption.

According to the Bureau's website, the population of free-roaming wild horses and burros across the West exceeds 40,600, nearly 14,000 more than the agency's recommended limit. However, wild horse numbers in Utah are disputed. Bureau data from 2013 estimates between 400 and 500 horses roam southwestern and central Utah, while Iron County officials claim the number may be closer to 2,000.

Wild horse advocates, including Suzanne Roy of the American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Preservation), criticize the lawsuit as a strategy to divert attention from poor range management practices. Roy's group opposes roundups and suggests managing horse populations with birth control, as recommended in a National Academy of Sciences report.

Originally Posted By Reuters