The Bureau of Land Management on Monday captured 21 wild horses during the ongoing helicopter roundup at the Silver King Herd Management Area in Nevada. No injuries were reported.
The capture and removal of nine stallions, eight mares and four foals raised the total numbers to 772 wild horses captured and 12 killed through the roundup’s first two weeks.
BLM plans to remove 980 wild horses from their home range, located about 60 miles south of Ely, Nevada. About 244 wild horses will remain on the 606,000-acre HMA when the roundup is complete.
BLM’s stated reason for the roundup is “to prevent undue or unnecessary degradation of the public lands associated with excess wild horses, and to restore a thriving natural ecological balance and multiple-uses relationship on public lands,” according to a press release.
The agency estimates that the wild horse population on the HMA to be 1,224 horses, including foals. The agency’s “Appropriate Management Level” for Silver King is 60-128 wild horses — or as low as one wild horse for every 10,100 acres.
By comparison, BLM allows up to 55,940 Animal Unit Months of private cattle and sheep grazing on six allotments that overlap the HMA by 24-100%. One AUM is enough forage for one cow-calf pair or five sheep per month.
Captured wild horses will be transported to the Indian Lakes Off-Range Wild Horse and Burro Corrals in Fallon, Nevada, before being offered by adoption.
To view BLM’s planning documents, click here: https://go.usa.gov/xQmBN.
Viewing the roundup
Those who wish to view the roundup operation are asked to call (775) 289-1800 to be added to an attendee list and receiving specific meeting locations.
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