Foal orphaned in the controversial Calico wild horse roundup photo by Sharon Lamm
Amid mounting protest and the legal wranglings of the highly controversial Calico Complex roundup, Bureau of Land Management officials have chosen to announce yet another roundup of wild horses to take place in February of this year. A Preliminary Environmental Assessment of the Eagle Herd Management Area capture plan along the Nevada/Utah border targets 545 wild horses for capture and removal. Fifty will be removed from private lands. An additional 92 horses will be removed from two adjacent Utah Herd Management Areas (HMA's) in the process.
The reason stated as need for the roundup repeats the BLM mantra of "thriving natural ecological balance" though there seems to be no one who can truly define the term.
The remaining population of 100 animals appears to confirm wild horse advocate concerns about genetic viability of America's wild horse herds. Past explanations by BLM personnel point to migrating patterns that bring about the mingling of horses from different HMA's as a factor in maintaining herd viability. The two adjacent Utah HMA's will be left with populations of 15 and 30 wild horses. A genetic pool of 145 animals raises a red flag in the scientific community.
This topic is of particular relevance to the Wild Horse and Burro Program because the majority of wild equid populations managed by the BLM are kept at population sizes that are small enough for the loss of genetic variation to be a real concern. Because a loss of genetic variability can lead to a reduction in fertility or viability of individuals in a population, it is critical that genetic considerations be included in management plans for wild equid populations. - "Genetic Variation in Horse Populations" E. Gus Cothran, PhD, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky
Genetic viability is no longer an issue in HMA's that have had the horses removed altogether. The BLM does not deny the practice of "zeroing out" wild horse herds. As of March of last year BLM website pages admit to 15 such HMA's in Nevada alone. Fifteen additional HMA's have been combined to create only six. These combined areas show a tremendous loss of acreage available for use by wild horses, the Eagle HMA being one. Investigation reveals no BLM denial of accusations that over 19 million acres of land mandated for use by wild horses have disappeared since 1971.
Protesters throughout the country are asking for an immediate moratorium on wild horse roundups and Congressional intervention to clean up the mess in BLM's Wild Horse and Burro Program which was originally intended to protect American herds.
Public comments on the Eagle roundup will be accepted until January 27. Written comments can be mailed to: BLM ELY District office, HC 33 Box 33500, Ely, Nv 89301 attn: Mary D'Aversa, Schell Field Manager. Comments can also be e-mailed to: eaglegather@blm.gov
BLM officials were not available for comment prior to publishing this report.
Time to "rein In" BLM's wild horse and burro program
Comments
No need to send comments to the BLM or to ask for understanding or logic from our government. America is nothing more then a large corporation serving other large corporations. We are but the fodder, the consumers feeding the monster we created by shopping and using energy. BUT in reality and what someday will come to pass is that the only energy source left to us will be wind, trees, grass and horses. All of which are destined to depletion. Yes even the wind won't be able to serve us as all our mountain tops are being served for coal. Hunker down, get some horses and plant a garden. But remember when the environmental refugees come calling for a hand out we told them so.
...oh so right you are Frank....
let them round up horses so that I can look at my nose. and to prove I'm a good teacher.
Frank ~ You could be right. I certainly have had NO success writing to Congress or the President.
Good thing I already have horses.
The wild mustangs are part of our national heritage. The government has NO RIGHT to zero out something that belongs to the people. If the gov wants to represent the people, there should have been a public discussion of this. BLM is wrong and out of control.
Contact your representatives and let them know you want the roundups stopped. If enough people object, we can possibly save the mustangs.
Still, keep bombarding Obama & Congress for a moratorium on all roundups, to reject the Salazar Plan, to pass laws that re-protect our herds. Keep filing lawsuits, doing peaceful protests, getting more Press for the cause, commenting on articles, writing Letters to Editors. In educating the masses, we can & must prevail for our wild herds. They are counting on us. It can never happen if we don't try. Remember the squeaky wheel.
The wild mustangs are part of our national heritage. The government has NO RIGHT to zero out something that belongs to the people. If the gov wants to represent the people, there should have been a public discussion of this. BLM is wrong and out of control.
Contact your representatives and let them know you want the roundups stopped. If enough people object, we can possibly save the mustangs.
Oh God give me strength, this is just too much, may their souls all rot in hell when it comes there time to meet their maker. This is being slated as the worst winter in the past 25 years for a lot of the USA, I will keep writing, keep e-mailing, keep defending our horses and just pray that it will all finally come together and our beautiful horses will be saved. I just dont have the energy to argue or debate any more today!!!!!!! I wonder what they will all think about their wonderful ecological system that the horses are supposedly destroying when the oil/gas pipeline is built on it or the next iopencast mining operation is started blasting the mountains into oblivion!
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