If you’ve taken your RV through America’s “outback” in the West, you may have seen them. Wild horses or wild burros. These majestic equines have thrilled many. However, their large numbers pose problems for their ecosystem, and frustrate some ranchers. Where these wild creatures hang out on lands managed by the BLM (Bureau of Land Management), they’re the frequent target of helicopter roundups. Now Congress is reining in the BLM in wild horse management.
Wild horse management budget cutback—A win in some ways
One of this month’s “edge of your seat” actions in Congress to fund government operations included funding for the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program. In the overall $460 billion budget signed into law on March 9, there was a spending cut for that program. In something that sounds a bit out-of-phase, wild horse advocates are actually whooping in enthusiasm at the cuts.
So how does a budget cut help wild horses? The program receives $141.9 million, down nearly $6 million from last year. At the same time, lawmakers kept $11 million in the program budget for implementing a humane fertility control program. Read that: Reduce the number of helicopter roundups, and find other ways to keep the herds from multiplying. One method, recommended by the National Academy of Sciences, is to “dart” mares with a fertility control vaccine called PZP.
Other provisions in the law
- Prohibition on selling horses and burros for slaughter.
- Prohibition on euthanizing healthy and unadopted wild horses and burros.
- Establishment of measurable objectives for reducing population growth through fertility control.
- Continued support for adoptions and other program aspects, while strengthening safeguards to prevent abuse.
- Language urging the BLM to explore alternatives to helicopters and manned fixed-wing aircraft usage in its wild horse management practices.
How many are there to manage?
Just how many wild horses are there in the U.S.? That’s a debatable number. The BLM’s 2023 estimate says there are nearly 83,000 wild horses and burros on its managed lands. The agency says that’s three times the number that is “sustainable and healthy for the land and the herds.” There is indeed a need for wild horse management. Just how it will turn with the new direction from Washington is to be seen.
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Thank you, Russ and Tina! Hmm, … I had no idea that this was such a problem. Thank you for informing me that it is. 🤔😯 Meanwhile, safe travels! 🙂
I don’t believe the problem is the wild burro and horse population. They belong in their habitat. Make room for them and leave them alone to live, propagate, and die without our mindless interference. Save a few million and spend it on humans who are crowded into concrete habitat without food, shelter, and clothing.
Well, we’ll see how “leaving them alone to…propagate” goes when apparently their habitat is already overburdened. This isn’t a Disney movie. A severe overpopulation will only get worse and they will die a slow lingering death from starvation and disease. Nature is a cruel task master. It will bring balance one way or the other.
Over populated animals are always tolerated in another person’s backyard.
Whose backyard?
Ain’t that the truth!
Wild horses are a huge problem. These are feral and not native to our western range. Populations increase about 30% a year and they out compete and destroy habitat of numerous native species such as sage grouse, antelope and mule deer. This bill will not help the issue as to effectively administer birth control you still have to do a round up. BLM has tried birth control in the past with little effect.
PS. I am a former BLM biologist and have been on roundups
Sorry Bill, It just doesn’t work like that. I can tell by your comment you have no experience with feral horses. I can also tell you have zero experience with horse breeding, ranching or range management. Maybe if you did a little research on the history of equines in the Americas you would understand a little more.
That’s exactly the point Bill Brogan. It’s not ‘THEIR’ habitat.
Here in northern NV the wild horse population is out of control. Every year there are several horse/auto accidents because horses wander across high-speed highways. The horses are usually killed, and the drivers of the cars that hit them can be seriously injured. They have signs up all over to “watch for horses”. Especially at night, it’s hard to see the dark-colored equines. We even get them wandering our neighborhoods, eating everything in sight as they crush the watering systems in front yards and knock over small fences. Everyone seems to love the horses, just not in your front yard.
There has been a lot of discussion about the horses in Teddy Roosevelt Ntn’l Park. The number is perhaps, small compared to western states – but none the less it appears there is a problem. They are majestic to see – like buffalo or bison. I haven’t really followed the story so not aware of the quantity or the solution(s).