Please Don't Give Up: Idaho's few remaining wild horses are under attack!

A curious Sands Basin stallion watches our friends from Save Our Wild Horses!

BLM Targets Three Idaho Herds

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Idaho (Owyhee Field Office) plans to reduce wild horse numbers in the Black Mountain, Hardtrigger, and Sands Basin Herd Management Areas to low numbers of just 33, 66, and 30 horses respectively.

 

This disastrous plan creates a scenario in which inbreeding among the wild horses is inevitable -- daughters with fathers, brothers with sisters, and mothers with sons. This effectively destroys their ability to survive. Inbreeding results in an increase in the offspring being affected by recessive traits such as blindness, deafness, a breakdown of natural immunities, and physical deformities.

 

BLM's response is to bring in a few horses from other HMAs to address genetic problems. The practice of introducing horses from other HMAs diminishes the unique qualities present in these herds -- for better or for worse -- and speaks to BLM creating a problem (lack of genetic viability) that they will have to continuously fix.

 

BLM also plans to use Gonacon as fertility control on mares returned to the range. Studies show that Gonacon is likely permanent after just two applications. It effectively destroys the ovaries and therefore natural hormone production that drives natural, wild behaviors. 

Talking Points in a Nutshell

  • Please implement humane management methods for these herds:

    - Bait (food/water) trap rather than use helicopters.
    - Use PZP/PZP22 fertility control only - No Gonocon - to manage numbers on the ranges and prevent the need for roundups.
    - Incorporate the use of trained volunteers to help supplement your actions to be proactive (rather than reactive) in managing the wild herds.

  • Manage herds at the high end of the AMLs and look at increasing these AML numbers to increase genetic viability and reduce the risk of inbreeding.

WE CANNOT GIVE UP ON THESE HORSES.  Fighting for needed change is the least we can do for these precious animals. Will you please join us?

 

Please take a stand today -- it takes less than a minute to submit your comments to BLM to state your opposition to this ill-conceived proposal.


TIPS on How to Comment: When you click the TAKE ACTION button, you will see that we have provided talking points for you to use. You can leave them as written if you like. However, we encourage you to edit the suggested comments to reflect your unique thoughts and perspective.

If you would like to research this Environmental Assessment a bit further, you may find it (and supporting documents) here: EplanningUi (blm.gov).

The BLM will accept comments for 30 days: May 15 - June 13, 2023.  Comments may be submitted by clicking "Participate Now"  or by any one of the following:

Email: BLM_ID_OwyheeOffice@blm.gov

Mail: BLM Owyhee Field Office, 101 S Bruneau Hwy  Marsing, ID 83639; Attention: Ammon Wilhelm.

For more information, contact Ammon Wilhelm at 208-896-5912 or BLM_ID_OwyheeOffice@blm.gov

Wild horses roaming their home lands in Idaho.

From the Owyhee Field Office Herd Management EA - showing the numbers of wild horse AUMs.
Table 1, pg. 7

From the Owyhee Field Office Herd Management EA pg. 44 - showing livestock numbers and AUMs for allotments in the three HMAs.

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