Wild Horse Advocates Challenge BLM's Roundup Plans

Wild horse advocates are rallying against the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) plans to round up nearly 700 wild horses in Utah's Iron and Beaver counties. Over 35,000 people have filed comments urging the agency to reconsider its actions, which they argue are influenced by ranchers seeking to reduce competition for grazing resources.

BLM's Roundup Plans

The BLM recently concluded its comment period on an environmental assessment for a series of roundups in the Bible Spring Complex. The first roundup, funded by the BLM, aims to remove 140 horses from the Blawn Wash area this summer. This is part of a decade-long plan to reduce the wild horse population from 777 to a range of 80 to 170 horses.

Ranchers' Influence

Ranchers in Iron and Beaver counties have pressured the BLM, threatening to conduct their own roundups if the agency does not act. Eight horses have already been captured on private property, and ranchers are suing the BLM to enforce legal limits on horse populations.

Advocates' Concerns

Wild horse advocates, including Suzanne Roy from the American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Campaign), argue that the real issue is the overpopulation of cattle on public lands, not wild horses. They claim the BLM's population estimates are inflated, noting that last year's figures showed fewer than 460 horses in the area.

The BLM's estimates are based on a 2012 aerial count and an annual population growth rate of 20%. The environmental assessment also reports that 2,744 cattle and 1,674 sheep graze in the herd management areas, significantly outnumbering the wild horses.

Advocates highlight that the BLM allows ten times more livestock than wild horses to graze on public lands in Utah, allocating 55 times more forage for livestock.

For more information, visit The Salt Lake Tribune.