Ep #36: Protecting the Salt River Wild Horses: Interview with Simone Netherlands
July 8, 2024
Ep #37: Observing a Roundup
July 29, 2024White Mountain Herd – Not Just the Roundup
By Carol J. Walker 7/24/2024
The roundup of the White Mountain Herd In Wyoming, one of the 4 herds within the Checkerboard has been scheduled to start on or after August 15, 2024 by the BLM. They did not even bother to issue a new Environmental Assessment using NEPA- they just used the one from 2020, and they didn’t bother to do a current count of the herd – no they used the count done in November 2022, just before the worst winter since 1973. The winter of 2022-2023 killed countless animals, including many wild horses, and mares either aborted or absorbed foals. But the BLM denies that any horses were lost. They just took that 2022 number, added 20% for 2023 and 20% for 2024 for foals, not acknowledging there were hardly any foals born in 2023. So they are now planning to remove 586 wild horses, to supposedly leave the herd at 205, which is the low Appropriate Management Level for this herd. I will be there to observe part of the roundup.
But the issues facing this herd do not stop with the impending roundup. No, when the BLM came out with their new Resource Management Plan it includes the zeroing out of two herds, Great Divide Basin and Salt Wells Creek. White Mountain was NOT to be zeroed out but to be kept at the 205-300 Appropriate Management Level. There had been tremendous outcry by locals, for tourists, to preserve this herd since the Wild Horse Loop was there, and the most requested thing asked for by tourists visiting Rock Springs Chamber of Commerce was “where can I see wild horses?”
The revision of the Resource Management Plan zeroing out these herds and dramatically reducing the size of the Adobe Town Herd was done at the Rock Springs Grazing Association’s behest – they had withdrawn consent for wild horses to be on their private lands withing the Herd Management Areas, and BLM went along, deciding it was “too hard to manage the wild horses” in the Checkerboard areas of alternating public and private lands, and just easier to remove the horses entirely from these herds. Our lawsuit is about that – that wild horses cannot be eliminated from public lands because of private land issues.
I am a plaintiff on the lawsuit brought by American Wild Horse Conservation, Animal Welfare Institute, Western Watersheds, Kimerlee Curyl and Chad Hanson. Oral Arguments in front of Judge Rankin were held on 7/16/24 in Cheyenne.
During the afternoon Oral Arguments where Rock Springs Grazing Association’s case was heard, I listened to very disturbing news from the attorney for RSGA who said that RSGA had now revoked their consent for wild horses to be on their private lands in White Mountain. This was a change, and she also said that BLM was going to do a revision to the Resource Management Plan because of this, leading to the conclusion that now the BLM was soon going to manage White Mountain as a Herd Area as well, not managed for wild horses – thus planning to zero out White Mountain as well.
This case is the most consequential case that has been brought to date for wild horses. If BLM is allowed to zero out herds, against the Wild Horse Act, then all our herds will be at risk. What can you do to help? Support this very important legal action by donating to AWHC’s legal fund here: https://americanwildhorse.org/donate
16 Comments
These cruel and inhumane helicopter roundups need to stop. The BLM and the helicopter contractors have been pushing the wild horses to total extinction. The wild horses have every single right to be on their public lands. I believe the BLM is doing the helicopter roundups as a part of their greed and the total disregard for the welfare of the wild horses. There needs to be a bill that would ban helicopter roundups of wild horses so they could get their freedom back on public lands
There is a bill.
When will the bill be made into law or will it? If it is, will that be just another piece of legislation that the B LM will run roughshod over to suit their killing of our precious horses? Cripes this bunch of morons need to be stopped permanently and the BLM disbanded forever. They are huge criminals.
It is sitting in Congress. There are lots of sponsors. When it will be voted on I do not know.
I agree! This inhumane treatment must stop! We vote with our tax dollars. We vote to stop using our tax dollars for roundups that are so cruel and in humane.
Thank you for all you do!
I agree! This inhumane treatment must stop! We vote with our tax dollars. We vote to stop using our tax dollars for roundups that are so cruel and in humane.
Thank you for all you do!
I don’t under why they can just stomp over the law with no consequences! Why are they not stoppped? Does law mean nothing anymore ?
That is why we brought the lawsuit.
I don’t under why they can just stomp over the law with no consequences! Why are they not stoppped? Does law mean nothing anymore ?
It seems there is a precedent for going after these self appointed lords of the lands. The Chevron Deference ruling which allowed many three letter organizations to be “experts” in their area and make their own rules. That has been reversed by the Supreme Court. They can no longer make up their own rules. That might be a good addition to your argument.
It helps – how much we shall see.
It appears to me that the BLM & whatever the powers that be (such as Rock Springs-well, livestock industry) are really bearing down on the roundups – using Gonacon & IUDs (really, IUDs?) I know the roundups & warehousing have been going on for years – but doesnt it seem like its become almost frantic in removing the Wild Horses currently? I mean Adobe Town, Great Divide, & Salt Wells Creek – I’m not involved in Wild Horse advocacy – other than writing & commenting for WHE & a couple other organizations – but they are really going at it almost as if they see something coming to change the whole routine! The HMAs in Nevada have taken a horrible death toll – and I’m betting thats far from the total – horses AND burros being found dead on the trucks to the pens – killing horses for injuries they have been living with most of their lives and managing to do so WITH the injuries – club feet? Killing an animal for that? Being blind in one eye? But they lived their lives FREE until this.
Have to stop – this just tears me up and its so dam frustrating to not be able to DO anything. I cannot imagine how hard it is for you and others who see the whole thing from beginning to end.
Appreciate what you do, Carol
I agree it seems more frantic now a days
Zeroing out herds…IUD’s ,Gonacon, releasing more stallions than mares, releasing castrated stallions?? I thought I read that at one point. Frantic is right
This corruption must stop..
They are being rounded up for the
Purpose of the meat trade..
How horrific is this..beautiful ironic
Animals..that depend on nobody
To survive..are tracked..ran down..
Shipped to Slaughter houses..
For the almighty dollar!!
I recommend writing to your Representatives and congressmen. Write to Kamala Harris. Real paper letters make a significantly greater impact.. Also post on any of the social media platforms that you frequent. There are a lot of people who don’t understand the impact of helicopter round-ups, and they don’t know about the bill. Try to keep a strong tone but avoid expressions that will get you dismissed as an hysteric. Use the facts.
I think one thing that is making it harder is that it is a presidential election year. The people who would normally be doing something about this are probably concerned about making the current administration look bad.