ELKO - The project area for this gather and removal of wild horses is from within and outside the Triple B, Maverick-Medicine, and the western and central portions of the Antelope Valley Herd Management Areas (HMAs), according to a BLM news release.
Total acreage within the project area is 1,839,459 and the 2013 estimated population is 1,504 wild horses. The Appropriate Management Level for the project area is 548 to 1,015 wild horses.
With the lack of needed precipitation this past fall and winter, BLM expects that there will be a lack of available water for wild horses in the summer and fall months ahead.
This action is based on limited water and/or forage availability to adequately support the current population of wild horses and on the adverse impacts to range resources being caused by wild horses concentrating on site specific areas within the project area.
Attempts were made during two 2011 gather operations to relieve the pressure on these areas of concentrated wild horses and to achieve AML for the HMAs. Both gathers were completed prior to achieving appropriate AML due to vegetative cover, terrain and weather conditions.
Future gathers will take place in various spots within the project area beginning after June 13 based on need. However, specific dates have not been determined.
due to budget constraints and other higher priority gathers.
Removing the excess wild horses will help to prevent further deterioration of the range in an effort to achieve 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.[[In-content Ad]]
