Wild horses have taken a prominent position in the news as of late. More gruesome details are released from the Calico roundup in northwestern Nevada every day, which took place between from Dec. 28 through the end of February. More than 75 horses have died to date, and 40 mares aborted late term pregnancies. Two foals lost their hooves during a pursuit by helicopter. Now the captive herd has developed an epidemic of Pigeon Fever.
Protesters have rallied in 26 cities across the country, and even as far away as London, England, to demonstrate their opposition to the Bureau of Land Management’s treatment of wild horses.
Ginger Kathrans, wildlife filmmaker and founder of The Cloud Foundation, is one of the most vocal advocates of the rights of wild horses. Her documentary on the wild mustang stallion, Cloud, gave a face to America’s wild horses.
Kathrans is not against herd management, but she believes the BLM is doing a poor job. “It appears the government is managing our wild horses to extinction,” Kathrans stated.
The number of wild horses currently in existence is a key point of disagreement between the BLM and advocates.
“The BLM believes there are 37,000 wild horses currently roaming, when in reality there are fewer than 20,000,” said Kathrans.
Tom Gorey, BLM Senior Public Affairs Specialist, believes the numbers estimated by advocates have no scientific value. “In 2009 we counted over 37,000 wild horses, when the number should be at 26,600,” stated Gorey.
BLM officials have determined that 26,600 is the number of wild horses that can roam freely without upsetting the balance of public rangeland resources and uses. Furthermore, a study conducted by the Government Accountability Office showed that the BLM tends to undercount herd population.
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The numbers at the most recent roundup at Calico point in favor of advocates. The BLM instructed workers to remove 2,500-2,700 horses from the population in order to minimize herd size. But workers were only able to find and remove 1,900 horses, effectively eradicating the entire population in Calico. Despite the BLM’s miscalculation, the horses will not be released. “Once a horse has been rounded-up, it stays that way,” said Gorey.
Another point of contention is the BLM’s competing interest in the cattle industry. “[Advocates] don’t understand or recognize the legitimacy of other uses of public lands. The BLM upholds many laws, not just wild horse conservation. We are a multi-use agency, and they think we should be a single use agency. Some outright oppose livestock grazing, one of the programs the BLM supports,” Gorey said. “We respect the wild horses and recognize that they are the living symbols of the Western spirit. We are advocates of wild horses, but we also have other responsibilities.”
“Welfare ranching is pushing the wild horses out of their habitats,” argued Kathrans. “Wild horses have lost 19 million acres and 40 percent of their population.”
Gorey said the advocates’ attack on the BLM is misaimed. “We uphold the laws. If [advocates] want change, they need to take on the law, not the agency upholding the laws.”
In this respect, Kathrans agrees. Advocacy groups are currently working on new legislation for better protection of wild horses. A bill called ROAM passed in the House of Representatives, but is in need of reworking before continuing on to the Senate. Kathrans said an improved bill should be circulating within the next few weeks. Supporters of the bill include U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu (La.) and U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd (W.V.).
Until a new bill is passed, advocates are asking the government to place a hold on roundups.
Watch Ginger Kathrens’ documentary on Cloud.
