Cloud Foundation Press Release
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Cloud Foundation Press Release PRESS RELEASE BLM Pushes to Remove Horses from Cloud’s Herd in the Pryor Mountains
Despite BLM’s claim that they lack funds to feed the wild horses currently in holding facilities and their proposal to kill them, the planned removal of the Montana/Wyoming Pryor Mountain wild horses may go forward. The Pryor Mountains are the home of Cloud, a stallion made famous by the PBS documentaries for the award-winning Nature series produced by WNET.
Billings Field Manager, Jim Sparks has stated, perhaps to calm the public’s fears, that “the Bureau has never had a problem finding homes for Pryor horses”. While the Pryor horses do make wonderful adoption candidates, Mr. Sparks’ statement is false. “In 2006 alone the Cloud Foundation arranged for the adoption of seven Pryor horses, five of which were bound for long-term holding in Kansas”, states Foundation executive director and wildlife filmmaker, Ginger Kathrens.
The accuracy of Billings Field Office statements was also called into question in a report read at the BLM National Advisory Board Meeting on June 30, 2008 in Reno. The Pryor Mountain Wild Horse range report began by stating that: “The health of wild horses and rangeland resources is being compromised across the PMWHR. . . Since March of 2008 wild horse body condition began to decline. . .Body condition is worse now than at the end of winter.”
“The inaccuracy of this statement is staggering” says Kathrens, who has been on the mountain every month this year (including two days ago). “The horses are in excellent condition. BLM statements like this one are made to convince the public that their planned removals are warranted.”
The Billing Field Office statement regarding declining horse and range health
supports their goal of removing horses this year from the Pryor range. It is also
consistent with the National BLM’s overall goal of managing wild horses
to extinction. Step one of the destruction of the Pryor herd is the planned
“This is so sad considering that there is an obvious alternative to this destructive plan: Legally expand the range to include areas used for centuries by the herd”, Kathrens explained. “If BLM would sit down with the Custer National Forest Service to discuss how to achieve expansion, BLM would not have an excuse to remove any horses from their home.”
The Billings BLM Field office is holding a helicopter hearing on Tuesday, August 26th at 6:30pm at the Best Western Inn, 4915 Southgate Dr., Billings, Montana. The public will be allowed to make statements at this time.
Contact for the Cloud Foundation: Ginger Kathrens
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