Wyoming Wild Horse Statistics: Habitat, Population, and Management

Photo of Wyoming Wild Horses By Pam Nickoles Photography

Wyoming Wild Horse Facts

Updated 6/1/16

Habitat for wild horses has been reduced by more than half.

• 1971: Wild horses and burros were found on 5.2 million acres of BLM land.
• Today: Wild horses and burros exist on just 2.1 million acres.
• Net loss: 3.1 million acres.
• Source:BLM

42x More Livestock on BLM Land in Wyoming than Wild Horses

• 3,725 wild horses allowed to graze on 4.7 million acres (Source:BLM)
• 97,382 cow/calf pairs (annual equivalent) allowed to graze on 17.4 million acres of BLM land in Wyoming. (Source:BLM)
• 1,168,588 Animal Unit Months (AUMs) forage for livestock vs. 44,700 AUMs for wild horses allocated statewide.
• Source:BLM wild horse program&BLM public land statistics.

Removed from BLM Land in Wyoming 1996 – 2014

• 25,911 horses
• 1 burro
• 25,912 total
• Source:BLM
• Wyoming has 16 Herd Management Areas remaining.See population statistics here.
• The McCullough Peaks and Red Desert Complex wild horses are the only HMAs in Wyoming being managed with PZP fertility control.

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