Wild Horse Advocates Angered by Wyoming's Lawsuit

This week, the state of Wyoming filed a lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Department of the Interior, aiming to further reduce the size of wild horse herds in the state. The lawsuit claims that wild horse populations are growing and exceeding their management levels.

The Cloud Foundation, a wild horse advocacy group, is speaking out against the lawsuit. Director Ginger Kathrens points out that since the removal of over 1,200 horses last fall near Rock Springs, the number of wild horses in the state has been significantly reduced to only 450 horses over the BLM’s management level of 3,700 statewide.

“It looks like they’re looking for a straw dog here maybe,” Kathrens says. “Something to blame for the condition of public lands. But that’s not because of wildlife. That’s because of livestock grazing.”

Kathrens emphasizes that most wild horse herds are not genetically viable and their populations are actually dwindling.

Wild horses are protected under the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971.

Originally Posted By Wyoming Public Media