by Carol Abel
Former Pryor Mountain Wild Horses in BLM captivity (Photo by Terry Fitch)
A new price tag has come to light for the highly controversial roundup of more than 2,700 wild horses from the Calico Complex in Northern Nevada; an expenditure almost double the previously reported number.
In a telephone interview earlier this week, Alan Shepard, Bureau of Land Management lead for the state of Nevada, quoted the expected “all inclusive” cost to be $900,000. He verified the information in a second interview the following day.
An email communication to The Cloud Foundation from Tom Gorey, BLM senior public affairs specialist, provided a much different number.
The Washington Office has provided BLM-Nevada with $1,943,460 broken down by 3,186 horses gathered (not removed) @ $610 per horse for the Calico gather. We cannot break it down any finer. This covers the contract and BLM personnel.” Tom
Mr Gorey stated in a telephone interview today that after speaking with Shepard, it was determined that Shepard thought he was quoting only the cost for the contractor, Cattoor livestock roundups. Gorey was comfortable with quoting an estimated cost ” as high as ‘ $1,700,000 which includes BLM activities for the gather and payment to Cattoor. The newly quoted expenditure projection is based on Gorey’s original quote adjusted to reflect fewer animals targeted.
A tempest of public discontent surrounds the Calico roundup. Over 10,000 public comments were submitted to BLM officials prior to the release of a final determination on the environmental assessment. The final determination of ” No Significant Impact” shocked animal welfare and wild horse advocate organizations. Additionally, an email address provided for comments regarding the upcoming Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board meeting ( Dec. 7) experienced such an influx of activity their email was reportedly overwhelmed and temporarily disabled.
The Department of Justice responded to a lawsuit filed by the animal rights group In Defense of Animals and well known wildlife ecologist, Craig Downer, by delaying the roundup originally scheduled to begin December 1, 2009. A filing for a permanent injunction will be heard by Federal District Court later this month. The roundup it is currently scheduled to begin Dec 28 of this year.
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Categories: Horse News, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
The cost over 10 years is estimated to be $96 million dollars. That’s a lot to sustain what is basically a feral animal.
Thousands of these horses have been transported to preserves in the Midwest. Many people have a romantic view of htees animals. Are they really the same wild horses once they’ve been relocated to the plains? I don’t think so. And I think it’s a shame to feed horses when there are millions of people going hungry in this country.
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The cost of leaving this native species alone is $0.00. Kind of a no-brainer, isn’t it?
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Well, RT, you have said all that needed to be said, but I didn’t catch it until I had written an essay (seems I’ve gotten my sea legs back again). YOU ROCK as always!
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Jody, you are almost correct (did you even read the headline of this article or the article itself or just sign on to tell a prejuduced comment?). The $96 million is just to purchase or lease NEW preserve sites, BLM has now admitted over 1.7 million dollars as actual cost – lets campaign congress, Obama and Salazar to return all the horses to their rightful lands that have been taken away from them, that we already own.
We don’t need to be feeding them, there is plenty of food on thier range lands – it would cost NOTHING to restore natural predation for natural birth control. Perhaps s miniscul cost for occasional water or feed assistance, and even, if absolutely necessary chemical birth control, only after sound scientific emergency proof, which can be delivered without a roundup. The people on this site and others are NOT anti management, that is another myth, we are supportive of real scientific based managment, science not bought and paid for by cattle and energy.
Are they really the same wild horses? – no, not yet. These horses are decendents of formally domesticated horses that were re-introduced to the ecosystem once before. YES, they can do it again!
This money being spent on these roundups and subsequent cost for warehousing and feeding, millions upon millions of dollars, over the past 8 to 9 years is nothing less than fraud against the American taxpayer to profit helicopter pilots, to pay for the roundups and transport, to lease the land where the horses are warehoused, to buy the feed for them, corrupt midnight trips to slaughter, etc. Yes, this money could help millions of people, train them to get new jobs, save thier homes, restore education and healthcare, on and on. This government agency gone insane must be stopped.
On the subject of feral – personally, I really don’t care – but the evidence is what it is. Please research this topic and find out the truth. You know, this is such a tiny, tiny thing amongst the big picture for we that love the wild public lands and the wild horse free on their own range land. Why is it so necessary to take this little bit away from people who love thier iconic western image, whether you do or not? Why can’t the 1971 Act be preserved, why insist on taking it away as the only solution?
As I said before it is rediculouse to even have to be having this conversation. The starving horses, damanged ecology are by and large myths perpetrated by the greedy who want to keep doing the roundups, and want to recieve more money for thier land to hold the horses from the roundups, want to receive the money for the feed, etc! Its insane.
Then there are the breeding profeteers, who want these horses to be RARE, so the ones they breed domestically from these decentants will be more valuable. I tell you the insanity for greed on this subject is never ending.
All the proof you need can be found from the links here on this site and at thecloudfoundation.org. Please, it will take you such a little time to do some more research. There is too much to be listed here – but everything is lised on all these sites. I hope you will entertain my invitation to learn more, to learn the truth.
I responded to you on another of RTs sites as well. And I want to thank you for raising these tough issues and questions – you have every right to do so. Once you step out of the rhetoric I hope you will find the truth and join us!
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Jody, I must appoligize for my statement ‘did you even read this article?”. It appears I’m the one mixed up – I mixed up the costs for the Salazaar plan with the cost for this one roundup. Both are without merit and need to be stopped.
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