UPDATE: On August 2, Department of Justice attorneys representing the BLM, in this case, informed the court that the BLM was withdrawing its mass sterilization plan for these HMAs.The agency is expected to announce a new course of action by August 5. See below for news articles and news release. On August 8, the case was discharged from federal court by Judge Amy Berman Jackson with an order noting that we had "won!"
In addition, a number of leading scientists and experts in the fields of wild horse biology, genetics, behavior and reproduction have filed declarations in support of the action, which charges the BLM for violating the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act and the National Environmental Policy Act by implementing an action that will convert two viable, free-roaming populations of wild horses to "minimally-reproducing" herds comprised primarily of geldings (castrated male horses.)
In the words of one of the experts, Dr. Jay Kirkpatrick, director of the Science and Conservation Center,“[t]he very essence of the wild horse . . . is the social organization and social behaviors. Geldings (castrated male horses) will no longer exhibit the natural behaviors of non-castrated stallions,” and “gelded stallions will not keep their bands together, which is an integral part of a viable herd. These social dynamics were molded by millions of years of evolution, and will be destroyed if the BLM returns castrated horses to the HMAs.”
Please see below for more information on this lawsuit and check back here for updates on the lawsuit.
News Articles
08.11.11 "The Quiet War Against Wyoming's Wild Horses," (TheAtlantic.com)
08.06.11 "Lawsuit Thwarts Wild Horse Castration," (KOWB Radio, Laramie, WY)
08.02.11 "Whoa There: BLM Cancels Wyoming Wild Horse Roundup Plan" (The Atlantic)
08.02.11 "Feds back off Wyoming wild horse castration plan" (Associated Press)
08.02.11 "Wild mustangs spared roundup in Wyoming for now" (Reuters)
07.28.11 "Wyoming to Intervene in Wild Horse Lawsuit" (Associated Press)
07.28.11 "Wild Horses Are (Again) Losing Their Home on the Range" (The Atlantic)
07.26.11 "Groups Challenge Wyo. Wild Horse Roundup in Court" (Associated Press)
News Releases
08.12.11 "Expert Report Refutes Scientific Rationale for Wyoming Wild Horse Roundup"
08.05.11 "BLM Officially Backs Off Wild Stallion Castration Plan in Wyoming"
07. 29.11 "Environmental & Wild Horse Organizations File for Injunction to Block Wyoming Wild Horse Roundup"
07.25.11 "Federal Lawsuit Filed to Stop BLM Plan to Sterilize Wyoming Wild Horse Herds and Manage to Extinction" LEGAL FILING
Legal Documents
08.25.11 Judge Amy Berman Jackson Decision
07.29.11 TRO Motion
07.29.11 TRO Brief
07.29.11 Declaration of Neda Demayo
07.29.11 Declaration of Dr. Jay Kirkpatrick
07.29.11 Declaration of Dr. Allen Rutherberg
07.29.11 Declaration of Dr. Anne Perkins
07.29.11 Declaration of Dr. Lori Eggert
07.29.11 Declaration of Dr. Bruce Nock
07.25.11 Complaint: Other Key Documents
08.11.11 Request for Reconsideration of Roundup
08.04.11 Rangeland Resource Report by Robert Edwards, Retired BLM Range Specialist