10-27-2010 The Ely Times

BLM to gather more horses near Ely in 2011

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Color Country (Utah) District, Cedar City Field Office; and BLM Ely (Nevada) District, Schell Field Office have issued the Decision Record for the Final Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Eagle, Chokecherry, and Mt. Elinore Herd Management Areas Wild Horse Gather. The BLM will gather and remove approximately 748 excess wild horses from in and around the Eagle, Chokecherry, and Mt. Elinore herd management areas (HMA), about 50 miles southeast of Ely, beginning in January.
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There are currently more than 714 wild horses in the Eagle HMA where the appropriate management level (AML) is 100-210 wild horses; 85 wild horses in the Chokecherry HMA where the AML is 30 wild horses; and 79 wild horses in the Mt. Elinore HMA where the AML is 15-25 wild horses. Approximately 15 horses reside outside the HMAs.

If more than 748 wild horses are gathered, selective removal criteria would be used to return horses to the range. Of the horses remaining on the range, BLM would conduct fertility control measures on mares and/or adjust the sex ratios of the gathered animals to be returned to the HMA to 60 percent male/40 percent female ratios.

Removing the excess wild horses will help to prevent further deterioration of the range, and achieve and maintain a thriving natural ecological balance and multiple-use relationship as required under the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, and Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as well as help to achieve and maintain healthy, viable wild horse populations.

The gathered animals will be transported to the Indian Lakes Road Facility, in Fallon, Nev., and Delta Wild Horse and Burro Facility, in Delta, Utah, where they will be prepared for the BLM adoption program. Un-adopted horses will be placed in long-term pastures where they will be humanely cared for and retain their "wild" status and protection under the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act.

The BLM does not sell or send any horses to slaughter.

For more information, contact Chris Hanefeld, BLM Ely District public affairs specialist, at (775) 289-1842 or chris_hanefeld@blm.gov.