239 Burros Captured

As if things aren't bad enough, the BLM just finished a removal just west of Death Valley.  The population of the wild burros is at a staggeringly low number already, just under 3000 nationwide, and the removal took 239 more from the range.  In 1974 the population of burros on the range was at around 14,000 on 54 HAs, but the BLM began a systematic removal process.  By 2000 the burros had lost over 4 million acres, or 45% of their range and 80% of their population.  The goal in 2000 was to acheive a population of 2750 by 2005, but they have gone further than even that plan.  This latest removal is part of the BLM plan to reduce the burro numbers to a few herds and a population of 2000. 

Then one must look at what happened during the removal.  While the media was onsite the BLM contractor flew the helicopter VERY close to the burros.  In fact according to the contractor and BLM the helicopter may have even touched the burro to "nudge" it. 

Photo by Kurt Miller -Wild Burro Roundup 9-28-09

It is possible that this happened at least twice.  A few years ago the BLM used to put the procedures for rounding up horses and burros into the EA.  These procedures stated that at no time should a helicopter press the animals until they are getting close to the trap.  It also states that the helicopter should not press females with babies.  Not to mention does anyone remember the whole helicopter crash at the Roosevelt National Park when the pilot decided to use the skids to close a gate behind horses?  It simply isn't safe to "nudge" any animal with the skids, not for the animal, not for the pilot and not for the ground crew.  How stupid can they be?  Of course nobody accused them of being smart.

One thing that advocates may notice is that the BLM is constantly trying to get the horse population down to the size that it was in 1971/1974 when the animals were in danger of becoming extinct.  Now they are claiming that those numbers aren't good enough for the burros and that they must be at a LOWER population than in the 1974 census.  It is impossible to know how many horses or burros there were in 1971.  There was an estimate, but later the "experts" admitted that the number estimated may have been well below the number actually on the range.  Funny how the same issues haunt the BLM.  They couldn't tell us how many were on the range then or now.  They withdraw lands from the program without authority, except the one they have given themselves.  They say they are taking the public's comments, but sign decisions within hours or days of the end of the commenting period so there is no way they reviewed, let alone considered, them.  They put thousands of horses into holding facilities at a cost of millions a year and round up more to put there.  The cost of the removals is about $7000 per horse. 

The sad thing is that the animals are paying the price for the absolute fiasco.

It is past time for the Congress to demand a complete investigation into the BLM's administration of the wild horse and burro program.  It is past time for the ROAM Act to pass Congress.  We need everyone to call their Senators and ask for an investigation and a moratorium on removals and withdrawal of any land from the program until that happens.  While calling you should ask your Senators for an INDEPENDENT census of the wild horses and burros and for their support of the passage of the ROAM Act HR 1018/S 1579.

See "The Forgotten"

See our new video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwmIGQoMTdQ

Public Comments Needed

The Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board is accepting public comments for its hearing on Sept. 28th.  Comments can be emailed to "Ramona DeLorme" .  All comments need to state that they are for the Advisory Board meeting.  Deadline for comments is Sept 25th.  Samples of comments being submitted can be found on the Save Our Wild Horses website.

Gathers are planned in Idaho starting Oct 6-13th.  The herds concerned are the Sand's Basin and Four Mile herds.  They will be removing approximately 206 horses.  Once they have done that they will be returning only horses to meet with the AMLs.  Sand's Basin only allows for 37-60 and Four Mile allows 33-64.  As we all know this is not nearly enough for genetic viability.  No public attended the meting on the use of helicopters, so this is the method being used.  They have limited the appeals to 30 days after the decision which is dated 9-11-2009, meaning any appeals must be filed no later than Oct. 11th.
The decision can be viewed at http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/id/nepa/owyhee_fo/four_mile_and_sands.Par.87893.File.dat/ID-130-2009-EA-3686_Four-Mile_Sands_Basin_Gather_DR.pdf


The BLM plans on gathering horses on the Tobin Range, which included the Sonoma Herd Area, starting October 22, 2009.  They will be gathering 450 horses, releasing 10 and removing 440.  Unfortunately, the comment period ended Friday.  The EA can be seen at http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/nv/field_offices/winnemucca_field_office/nepa/wild_horse_and_burros/tobin.Par.28897.File.dat/Tobin%20Prelim%20EA.pdf  No "official" record of decision is available yet.  Total AML for the range is 22-42, well below genetic viability.  There are cattle on this range.

The BLM is accepting comments until Oct 13, 2009 on the Paisley HMA.  If approved this would be a 10 year plan, meaning they would be able to continue with their plans for 10 years without public input. The plan calls for an AML of 60 and only returning 6-10 year olds.  The BLM is considering two options.  Option one would administer PZP.  The plan would return 30 studs and 30 mares, with 15-30 mares treated with PZP.  Option two would adjust sex ratio and geld.  This plan would return 20 studs, 20 geldings and 20 mares.  ALL plans put the horses below genetic viability and would decimate the herds eventually.  Basically they are making it a non-breeding herd.  Public comments are desperately needed!!

http://www.blm.gov/or/districts/lakeview/plans/files/PaisleyDesert_EA_FONSI.pdf

You may also want to read the decision of record for Beauty Buttes.  It is virtually the same and included the above plan.  The last date to challenge this decision is October 2, 2009.  Notice that they are now limiting appeals! 

The Bureau of Land Management’s Wyoming State Office will host the annual statewide hearing on the use of motorized vehicles in wild horse management operations on Thursday, Oct. 1, at 6:30 - 8 p.m.

The hearing will be held at BLM's Wyoming State Office, 5353 Yellowstone, Cheyenne, Wyo. Comments made during the formal public hearing will be recorded.

Various types of motorized vehicles (trucks, helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft) are used routinely in conducting wild horse management for population inventories, habitat & population monitoring, removal operations, and transporting horses to adoptions and holding facilities. BLM plans to use helicopters to help gather wild, free roaming horses from the public lands in the Cody, Worland, and Lander Field Office jurisdictions in 2009.

Last year no public attended this hearing!

The Wyoming office of the BLM is accepting comments for the Red Desert Complex (Lost Creek, Stewart Creek, Green Mountain, Crook Mountain and Antelope Hills) to remove 468 horses + 225 foals (only about 10% foals will be returned).  The plan also included the use of PZP.  The comment period ends Oct 1, 2009.
Under the EA they will be taking several herds below genetic viability including Lost Creek Antelope Hills and Crooks Mountain with AMLs set at around 60 horses.  Stewart Creek will be taken down to 125 horses, which is also below genetic viability, but it is not as grossly low as the others.  Only Green Mountain would remain above viability levels at 170.  While the numbers of horses at Lost Creek, Antelope Hills and Crooks Mountain are below viability the BLM states that these herds can interact which would allow them to maintain viability, but fencing questions should be addressed which limit their interactions and would affect their viability.  Horses over the age of 10 would be removed and since there is no adoption market for these horses they would go to long-term holding according to the EA, but it doesn't mention the Sale Authority or the new euthanasia policy.  Combined together this basically is the same as signing their death warrant.  The do mention that some horses may be subject to immediate euthanasia if they are "un-thrifty", below a 2 on the Heineke scale or injured.
Each mare released back onto the range would receive PZP.  They will be using helicopters to do the roundup as trapping has been eliminated from consideration.  Several springs have recently been fenced to prevent use by horses and those that have not been are not reliable.  Most other water sources available for the horses are only during the summer months.  One well, Eagle's Nest, has been outfitted with solar panels and provides water during the summer.  This was completed 2 years ago and the horses don't seem to favor that supply.  Elk and moose are on the range year round and compete with the horses.  The elk population is noted to benefit from hunting.
The EA seems to be setting it up for a reduction in AML based on pending EISs being developed for energy projects.  These projects include oil and gas, uranium and wind and the "difficulty of reclamation".

http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/wy/information/NEPA/rfodocs/red-desert.Par.80870.File.dat/ea.pdf

 If you would like to be a part of the team that helps gather this info to get out to the public please fill out our survey and be sure to say yes on the form to volunteering.  We need help monitoring these gathers and proposed changes to the range including EAs and grazing changes.  Until now it has been up to each individual group to keep up with these things and too many times one or more fall through the cracks, but together we can ensure that each herd is monitored and none of them fall through the cracks again. 

Volunteer!

These are just a few of the positions that we need filling. Most folks are trying to do all these things and it is more than a full time job. If we share the duties we can be more effective with our time and efforts and not duplicating efforts. Once we band together we are a force that cannot be ignored and we may actually be able to make a Difference.

If you are interested in help with any of the following or if you have any questions , please let me know at volunteer@saveourwildhorses.com.

1. Marketing- Finding corporate sponsors for Public Service Announcements (PSA) for the coalition

2. Monitoring a specific herd- (Environmental Assessments (EA), Range Management Plans (RMP) notifying the group about actions needed, Possibly acting as humane observer)

3. Research- providing research for the group for responding to public Comments, legal cases, information on grazing, whatever is needed

4. Technical writer- taking research and putting it into a format that the Group can use to respond to public comments, etc.

5. Calendar Manager- ensuring that events (such as adoptions, removals, Etc.) are on the calendar, may also organize events such as Demonstrations, education, booths at events

6. Writer- write educational articles for the website and writing alerts for the groups to send to their members

7. Legislative leader- organizing lobbying events, call in days, keeping The group informed on the bills and what is going on with them