Elko Daily Free Press 7-21-10

BLM rounds up 636 wild horses

ELKO - The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has gathered 636 wild horses so far in the Tuscarora roundup the agency resumed late last week after federal court approval, according to a BLM announcement Tuesday afternoon.

The BLM also reported it has tentatively scheduled two public observation days for the gather 90 miles northwest of Elko - Friday and Saturday.

The BLM began gathering horses again after the U.S. District Court ruled on July 16 against a move to stop the controversial roundup in light of the hot weather, timing and dehydration deaths.

The agency testified 500 horses might die of dehydration without the gathering.

Eighteen gathered horses had died as of late Sunday afternoon, but the BLM didn't include any new figures Tuesday.

The agency earlier reported taking more than 30,000 gallons of water to wild horses, and that ranchers opened gates to allow horses access to water.

The BLM said the two scheduled public days will be the only observation days offered for this gather based on site location accessibility and private and public land ownership. The roundup is slated to end at the end of July.

The BLM will rendezvous with interested members of the public in Midas at 7 a.m. those days and lead a caravan to the gather site, which is a two-hour drive from Midas.

Four-wheel drive, high-clearance vehicles, appropriate shoes and clothing are recommended.

The observation periods will last roughly four to five hours, and visitors will leave the gather site between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.

Those wishing to visit the gathering may call Debbie Collins at 866-468-7826 to sign up.

In an effort to provide a safe environment for the animals, BLM staff, contractors and the public and media, requests will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis and be limited to 10 people per observation day, according to the BLM.

The announcement states the dates are subject to change, depending upon weather and gather operations.

The BLM stated Tuesday that of the 636 horses gathered so far, 615 have been transported to the Palomino Valley Center near Reno and the Central Utah Correctional Facility in Gunnison, Utah.

Horses at the prison will be paired with prisoners who will saddle train them and prepare them for adoption.

The BLM plans to remove about 1,137 to 1,197 wild horses on the Owyhee, Rock Creek and Little Humboldt Herd Management Areas and about 425 outside the Rock Creek HMA.

The BLM estimates there are about 1,550 wild horses in the gather area and any horses gathered above targeted removal numbers will be released back to the HMAs. The BLM estimates the appropriate management level is in the range of 337 to 561 horses.

The mares released back to the range were to be vaccinated with PZP-22 (Porcine Zona Pellucida) fertility control, according to the agency.