Photo by Carol Walker

The BLM is again targeting the iconic horses of the Wyoming Checkerboard for a mass helicopter removal. This time the agency proposes to round up an astounding 3,500 wild horses — or nearly 40 percent from 3.4 million acres of habitat in the southern part of the state. The plan calls for drastically reducing the population to the low Appropriate Management Levels (AMLs) of 1,550 wild horses in five federally designated Herd Management Areas (HMAs): Adobe Town, Salt Wells Creek, Great Divide Basin, White Mountain, and Little Colorado. The BLM is also proposing to treat and release 290 mares with PZP and unproven IUDs. Also under consideration: an alternative to surgically sterilize 100 mares, castrate 100 stallions, treat the remaining released mares with an immuncontraceptive vaccine and skew the sex ration of the population to 60% stallions and 40% mares. 

This mass roundup plan will cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars and it will cost these historic wild horses their families, their freedom, and, for many, their lives. The cruel policy is driven by commercial interests, in particular, the Rock Springs Grazing Association (RSGA), whose members graze their cattle and sheep on public lands. Indeed, an average of more than 8,000 privately-owned cattle have grazed in the five HMAs annually over the last 10 years. 

The RSGA sees federally-protected wild horses as competition for cheap forage resources on our public lands and has been demanding their removal since. 2011. Over the last decade, AWHC  has been involved in litigation against the RSGA to defend the wild horses in this area and has amassed numerous court victories, including at the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. We intend to continue the legal fight to defend Wyoming's wild horses and to rally public opposition to this plan.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Taking action on these steps should only take you a few minutes and could make a huge difference, so please complete all if you can!

1. The Bureau of Land Management is using a portal to accept comments on its plan. Submit your comments directly to the portal before April 30, 2021! It's important that you customize your message, but please view our talking points for reasons why this roundup and removal should not stand! 

>> Check out the talking points <<

>> Submit your comments <<

2. Sign onto our letter of opposition by filling out your information below!