The Adobe Appys: How Did the Fillies Get Their Spots?
February 6, 2017The BLM Continues Lack of Transparency in Adobe Town Wild Mare Radio Collar Study
February 13, 2017Stunning Lack of Tranparancy in BLM’s and University of Wyoming’s Adobe Town Wild Horse Study
USGS holding radio collars, the one on the right is for the study
The BLM and the University of Wyoming are conducting a Radio Collar Study on wild mares in the Adobe Town Herd Management Area. I have done several blog posts about this study, calling for people to send in comments and calling for more clarification on how this study is going to be conducted. Some of my concerns are the the health and well being of the mares that will be captured by bait trapping, trailered to Rock Springs, put into squeeze chutes and have these collars put on. These collars will remain for 2 years. Then the mares will be transported back supposedly to where they were captured and released. This alone will be very traumatic for the mares and their families who will lose a family member.
But what happens when the mare gets her foot caught in the collar, or it grows into her neck because it is being put on when she is at her thinnest, and she will put on weight in the summer especially if she is pregnant? How will they be able to release the collar if she is in trouble?
Moving the mares into the shed to put collars on
These were not popular questions at the Q and A that USGS conducted yesterday at the Rock Springs corrals. I was told that they “left room” in the collars for the mares to gain weight – wouldn’t that allow her to get it caught on something more easily? And yes there were studies of mares being injured and dying in the field due to radio collars but supposedly this design was much improved. They do have a tag they can put into the mane instead but these will fall off too soon. I did ask about using direct observation as a way of gathering data but that was deemed impossible, even though it is much less intrusive. The researchers would rather track the mares on their computers rather than on the ground, in the field. I also asked weren’t they concerned about the mares being released all alone, not with their families? There was no answer to that.
The geldings in the front corral know something is going on
Before I even went to Rock Springs I had been very concerned about the lack of observation of the whole process that the BLM was allowing. Public observation helps to prevent abuse of the horses, and I am a firm believer in this. A week ago American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign asked attorney Nick Lawton of Meyer, Glizenstein& Eubanks to write a letter asking for the opportunity to observe the bait trapping and the collaring as well as the release of the mares, as well as giving sufficient notice of at least 2 days so I could get out there. The BLM did not change its stance on the bait trapping and the collaring or the notice but did say that “the mares will be held at the facility for 24 hours after they are radio collared, and the public will be able to observe the mares from the overlook during this time period.”
Mares that were not collared
This did NOT happen. The mares after they were collared were being kept in a pen that was completely not visible from the overlook and when I asked it if could see the mares I was told no, that they have to be be kept quiet. Somehow all the torment that these mares went through was totally acceptable but having members of the public view them, even at a distance, was too hard on them.
Where the collaring was done
I could see the heads of the mares that did not have collars on, and occasionally their bodies, using my long lens. Apparently they captured 9 mares who they brought to the facility, but 5 were too young. Even I could see one of the mares looked like a yearling or at the most a two year old filly – how on earth could the people trapping the horses not be able to tell the difference between very young and mature mares? And why put these poor young mares though the stress of taking them away from their families, hauling them to the facility then hauling them back, for nothing? If they had allowed me to observe the bait trapping I could have told them these mares were too young because I have spent 13 years observing these wild horses in Adobe Town.
A young mare with no collar
The Mares without collars
We did get to see the collars used on the mares, and also a video of a collar dropping off of a burro in another study. We were told if the mare gotten into trouble and stopped moving, they would release the collar, they could do this online. But would the collar jam during bad or very cold weather? They also showed us equipment for tracking the collars in the field. They told me there was no way to do this study using more high tech state of the art equipment like a tag under the skin and laughed at me saying how could the battery fit there? These collars are old technology, completely outdated and I am sure there are better less intrusive ways to do this. But they want to use the collars and they do not care how much stress the whole process will be on the mares.
Tracking device to track collars on the ground
I am meeting the BLM at the Rock Springs corrals on Sunday morning to follow them out to release the 4 mares with collars and I assume the 5 without. Hopefully I will be close enough to actually see them and photograph them. And please let them not get into trouble, please keep them safe. They do not deserve what is being done to them.
Geldings still at Rock Springs after the 2014 Checkerboard Roundup
This just in – I received a photo of the collared mares from the BLM:
Photo of collared mares, courtesy of BLM
Previous Posts on This Subject
https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/blog/equine-advocates-and-animal-welfare-groups-challenge-adobe-town-wild-mare-experimentation
Please Comment to Stop the Dangerous and Cruel Adobe Town Wild Mare Radio Collar Study
18 Comments
Well, I’m with you, Carol! Obvious to anyone that this is not safe – for the mares. But seemingly, thats not a concern for this “research” group. The idea that they bait-trapped, sorted(?) & trailered young fillies out of their area for no reason – other than the fact that apparently no one was paying attention – certainly is telling. How many “batches” of horses are they going to do this to? In order to collar 20 (?) mares they have to catch, sort & trailer possibly 4 loads of mares – maybe more. This just tells me its the same old BLM “lets see what happens” routine – experiments NOT research. Thanks, Carol, for your efforts in finding out the truth.
Thank you Maggie!
Why not use microchips? They would not be harmful to the horses. The pictures of the mares that have collars on look way to tight, I don’t see any room for weight gain, etc. This is not a well thought out decision by the BLM!! Go back to the drawing board!
I asked that. They are in the dark ages with this study and do not care how intrusive and dangerous these collars are.
What a sorry sight! It almost seems like these people have no experience with horses let alone have any knowledge about their own study.
That collar tracker looks ridiculous…rabbit ears. How old school…every bit of this study, the clunky awkward collars are ancient, the laziness on the part of the students. Seriously, is someone really going to watch online 24-7 to see if something tragic happens?
This “study” is going to fail.
Carol, I know it was tough for you to see what’s really going on behind the scenes. They would benefit emmensely by allowing your knowledge and input, like you said, about advising them on the age of these pretty and innocent mares. Not just be all Willy nilly about it all!
Ugh. So frustrating.
Thanks for what you keep on doing, friend.
Thank you Lynn!
It is tragic that they seem to bumble their way through much of what they do. No doubt there are some bright, highly educated folks at the BLM, but these collars don’t bespeak their involvement in this “research study”.
Virtually every issue with our beloved mustangs could be handled and managed with better, clearer forethought.
Herd assessment
Reproductive management
Adoptive process (The current IA doesn’t offer any drop off in the entire eastern United States.)
It ALL could be managed so much better.
Even if each of these captured horses is carefully returned to the exact location where they were snared, there is no guarantee they will reconnect with their family bands. If you are attempting to research ‘natural movement patterns’, removing and traumatizing these animals, then not reconnecting them with all they’ve known before, undermines the validity of this project. Collared mares are apt to waste time and energy searching for their original bands, and/or they may be incorporated into another band, temporarily or permanently. There is no guarantee these mare’s post-capture movements will actually demonstrate natural behavior!
Maya, your response is spot on!
Thank you for sharing your wise words.
You are so correct maya . This so called research is so poorly thought out it is embarrassing ….. like….. why are they releasing the mares one at a time ….. and not together …..?
Well, those collars appear to be too tight for this time of year. This is madness. Thank you for being there and observing what is happening.
I’s like to know what moron thought this was a safe beneficial technique to use in a study of wild horses. Anyone with common sense would know this whole process is detrimental to the horse. We really need to get the BLM out of the wild horse business. They do more harm than good.
Why would you do this? Seems a bit archaic to the technology we have now. These beautiful creatures don’t deserve these tight collars put on, put in sqeeze chutes. Put in microchips for God’s sake. Morons is right.
The BLM needs exposed for the animal cruelty they inflilict on these wild horses. They are a heartless organization. Americans taxpayer money should not be used to inflict cruelty. These are onnocent animals with no voice. Stop the heicopter round ups too. Round up the horses as REAL cowboys do, on horseback. The holding facility is completely crual too. This needs immediate public attention to end the BLM.
This whole thing, collaring mares is a travesty. Obviously this just smoke n mirrors on BLM part to allow Wyoming University inexperience to appear as though they are interested in the well being of Our Mustangs. I am APPALLED, once again! I am in agreement with Carol a less abrasive and less traumatic way of handle the mares, would be a “in-the-observation of their Natural habits.Then the information can be complied into a data base.
I appreciate your love for OUR Mustangs and your involvement, and us informed.
This whole thing, collaring mares is a travesty. Obviously this just smoke n mirrors on BLM part to allow Wyoming University inexperience to appear as though they are interested in the well being of Our Mustangs. I am APPALLED, once again! I am in agreement with Carol a less atrusive way
and less traumatic way of handling the mares, would be a “in-the-field-observation” of their Natural habits.Then the information can be complied into a data base.
I appreciate your love for OUR Mustangs and your involvement, and keeping us informed, Carol.
Why is it necessary to put these mares through all this. This is one of the most ridiculous plans ever. IT IS CRULE God put us over the animals to care for them. The BLM does some good things but this not one of them. Please people rethink these project. If you must go through with it do in the field, this would be less traumatic. I wish you could explain what will be gained from this project. Thanks for the opportunity to voice my opinion.
This is not true science. Study them, thats fine. But a true scientist knows that you cannot collect correct data if you directly interfere with what you are studying, you taint your results because you have inflicted an unnatural force to the situation. These mares probably wont make it back to their original herd, and integrating into a new herd could have adverse effects on them.