Winter Roundups Underway: Updates on Wild Horse Management

As the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) awaits Congress's decision on its request to euthanize tens of thousands of wild horses and burros in holding facilities, the agency is proceeding with several roundups. In a new development, captured horses are being taken directly to private holding facilities, preventing public access to identify captured horses or assess their condition. Learn more about the roundup pending in Utah next week and the one just completed in Nevada.

Fox and Lake Range Roundup: November 15 - November 18

Status: Concluded

The BLM concluded the roundup and removal of wild horses from the Fox and Lake Range Herd Management Area. A total of 189 wild horses were captured (76 Studs, 78 Mares, and 35 Foals). Fortunately, there were no deaths.

Horses were taken from the trap site directly to the BLM's Indian Lakes short-term holding facility in Fallon, Nevada. There was no temporary holding at the roundup site, meaning the public was prevented from observing the captured horses up close to ascertain their condition. Public observation of the captured horses continues to be prohibited at the privately owned holding facility, which is closed to the public.

Read our report from Day 1 of the roundup here.

Conger Roundup, Milford, Utah: November 28

The BLM intends to round up and remove approximately 100 wild horses from this Herd Management Area (HMA) in western Utah. The latest roundup is part of an ongoing "population control research" study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey and Colorado State University to assess the impacts of gelding (castrating) stallions on individual behavior and herd dynamics. The overall project involves both the Conger HMA, where up to 70 percent of the stallion population will be castrated, and the Frisco HMA, which is being used as a control population after the removal of 175 horses.

The American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Campaign) is concerned about the “validity” of any data on natural behavior and herd dynamics conducted on populations after 40% of the wild horses living there are removed via traumatic helicopter roundups. These roundups severely disrupt and destroy the integrity of the horses' tightly knit social structures. Stallions in the Conger herd will have been rounded up by helicopters and lose their bands not once, but twice, in two years. No valid data on the "natural" behaviors of these traumatized and highly manipulated stallions can possibly be obtained in this manner.

Additionally, this study will result in the castration of 75 percent of the stallions in the Conger HMA, a move that is likely to destroy the genetic viability and social integrity of the Conger herd. This scientific fact was confirmed by the National Academy of Sciences, which warned in 2013 that castration causes “loss of testosterone and consequent reduction in or complete loss of male-type behaviors necessary for maintenance of social organization, band integrity, and expression of a natural behavior repertoire.” Moreover, this action will not significantly reduce population growth rates, since a small number of intact stallions can impregnate large numbers of mares. This fact is why scientists recommend that contraception in wild horse populations be female-directed.

Status: Pending

Beginning on Tuesday, November 28, the BLM will begin a roundup and removal of approximately 100 wild horses. Members of the American Wild Horse Conservation team will be on site at this roundup and will provide daily reports.

More information on this roundup can be found here.