(January 6, 2020) The BLM has plans to "zero-out", or remove all, wild horses from the Seaman and White River Herd Areas (HAs) in Nevada. The operation started back in November, but due to "unseasonably warm weather" which kept horses in higher elevations for longer than expected, the BLM paused the operation and resumed it this week.
AWHC is particularly concerned about this operation, both because the BLM plans to remove all wild horses from these HAs and due to the fact that we have an active lawsuit in the same region that challenges a very similar roundup plan for the Caliente Complex. (AWHC teamed up with Western Watersheds Project and The Cloud Foundation to challenge that wild horse eradication plan.)
As in the Caliente case, the BLM's Seaman/White River Herd Area decision fails to even consider reductions to domestic livestock grazing on these same public lands. This means that privately-owned sheep and cattle will continue to graze in the Seaman and White River HAs after federally-protected wild horses are eliminated from this public lands area.
In November, we sent a letter to the BLM asking them to postpone the Seaman/White River roundup until the court ruled on our Caliente Complex lawsuit. The BLM responded to our letter the next day and explained that the agency still planned to move forward with the wild horse eradication plan. The agency explained that it will need to return to these HAs several times before the eradication of wild horses is complete. Therefore, we will be watching closely watching this area, particularly when we receive a decision on the Caliente case, and will update you with any news.
Read the Daily Reports from November.
January 8, 2020 - 28 Wild Horses Lose their Freedom
AWHC's field representative was the only member of the public onsite today at the roundup and removal of the Seaman and White River wild horses. Several horses successfully avoided the trap but three were chased down by wranglers on horseback, roped and brought in.
January 7, 2020 - 18 Wild Horses Lose their Freedom
AWHC's field representative was the only member of the public onsite today at the roundup and removal of the Seaman and White River wild horses. Two of the horses made an escape up the mountain and into the trees, and the grey was pursued by three wranglers on horseback though they never stood a chance to rope him.
Horses were in good condition coming in a body class 4 with a few 3's.
January 6, 2020 - 28 Wild Horses Captured
AWHC's field representative was the only member of the public onsite today at the roundup and removal of the Seaman and White River wild horses. Our representative noted that the horses are small, around 13 hands on average. Almost all of the mustangs coming off of the range are grey, with a few black and grullas. The horses appeared to be inadequate to good condition, coming in body classes between 3 to 4.
