(photo: Carol Walker)
Your comments are needed to make sure wild horses and burros are protected in possible amendments to very important BLM Land Use Plans (LUPs) in California and Nevada. You can cite this report: https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/projects/lup/90121/123510/150623/SO3353-report.pdf (wild horses are noted on page 37, the second box from the bottom). Tell the BLM you want our wild horse & burro herds to be maintained in viable numbers. Per the equine geneticist hired by the BLM, Dr. Gus Cothran, the minimum wild horse and burro herd size should be 150-200 animals. Within a herd containing this number, about 100 animals would be of breeding age. Of those 100, approximately 50 horses or burros would comprise the genetic effective population size. Dr. Cothran has stated that 50 is a minimum number. A higher number would decrease the chances for inbreeding. (A decreased genetic effective population size leads to both inbreeding and the loss of alleles by genetic drift, increasing the probability of population extinction.) Also, if the BLM skews the sex ratio to favor males, the number should be higher.
Members of the public can convey comments to the BLM via a website and via email.
For more information please contact Matt Magaletti, BLM Nevada State Office, at 775-861-6472
Source: Elko Daily Free Press
RENO – The Bureau of Land Management announced opportunities for the public to comment and share issues on the agency’s consideration of potential amendments to its Nevada and California land use plans, specifically elements of land use plans that address greater sage-grouse conservation. Meetings cover Northern Nevada, including one slated for Elko on Nov. 8.
On Oct. 5, the Department of the Interior announced its intention to revisit land use plans in 10 western states to improve greater sage-grouse conservation and to strengthen communication and coordination between western states and the federal government. The existing plans, which were amended in 2015, provide guidance and direction to BLM managers in Nevada for the management of greater sage-grouse habitat.
The public scoping meetings will be held in Reno, Elko and Ely to provide venues in areas covered by the sage grouse plan. BLM staff will be on hand to gather information about potential issues to be considered related to any plan amendments.
Meeting Locations:
Reno
Location: The Nugget, Sierra Room 1, 1100 Nugget Ave., Sparks
Date and Time: Tuesday, Nov. 7, 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Elko
Location: Elko Convention Center, 700 Moren Way, Elko
Date and Time: Wednesday, Nov. 8, 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Ely
Location: Bristle Cone Convention Center, 150 W. Sixth St., Ely
Date and Time: Thursday, Nov. 9, 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Members of the public can also convey comments to the BLM via a website and via email.
For more information please contact Matt Magaletti, BLM Nevada State Office, at 775-861-6472.
Categories: Wild Burros, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
Get rid of free loading ranchers and give our wild horses their freedom. No more roundups and no horse slaughter. Please hear us.
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These Horses belong to the public, the government is not managing these horses properly and the whole care and management system for these wild horses and burros needs to be placed in the hands of a nonprofit with a board who loves and understands what and who they are charged with and how important they are to the public and generations to come.
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Set greed and profit aside for once. It will hurt at first, but once the sting heals, the greater good/bigger picture can be seen, and it will be beautiful.
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The 150-200 individual for 50 as effective breeding core population, I believe is a gross underestimation of what is required for the long-term survival of a wild horse/burro population. Though I have repeatedly brought this up, the repetition of this one substandard standard countless times has people accepting something that is very questionable to say the least. Funny how the IUCN Species Survival Group’s experts on equine survival in the Equine Survival Group’s recommendation that there be 2,500 individuals for true viability in the long term goes ignored, as thought these many world’s leading wild horse/burro/zebra etc experts don’t deserve to be herd. See my book for details on this: The Wild Horse Conspiracy, and the published Action Plan that is cited.
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Thanks, Craig. I agree with you that this is a really low estimation of what is needed for viability. But I was using the data from BLM’s own expert, which the BLM has, and continues to, ignore.
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The wild horses and burros on our Public lands need to be protected and land designated for them as in the provisions of the 1971 Wild Horse & Burro Act.
The BLM is not doing their job as far as protecting our public lands and wildlife .
Instead they have caved into the greedy desires of special interest groups ,mainly cattlemen .
The BLM is also ignoring the 80 percent of the public that are STRONGLY in favor of saving the wild horses .
The public should have a HUGE say in the decisions of the BLM because public land is. OUR land too.
There need to be people hired in the BLM that are in favor of wildlife and not just paid while they sit in their diffs and ignore this horrible abuse of wildlife.
The cattle do the most damage to the terrain as they are repeatedly restocked to the same area for the cattlemens profit.
Why is it cattle are well received by the BLM when they do the most destruction to our public lands and often permanent damage?
The wild horses are part of our American History as a symbol of our freedom. They grace our landscapes with their beauty and love they show for each other . The elements they have to endure in the wild and still come out looking pretty healthy is something to be admired ..
The roundups are cruel and unjustified as they separate the herds from their families ,injure and kill many in,the process , Many of the captured ones placed later in holding pens die of heart attacks , disease or just plain broken hearts .
Horses have been our loyal friends throughout history and it’s time to pay them back with revering them forever .
Let’s be fair and LISTEN to the .PUBLIC !
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We need to honor the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 1971 – PLEASE let them be – just stop it!!
Sincerely,
Margaret Sheehan
A VOTER and as an American citizen part owner of our public lands
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Is there a deadline to submit comments on this???
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The above information is about Greater Sage Grouse. Do you have the info for comments on wild horses? FYI: I looked on the BLM website but couldn’t see anything current. Please advise.
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Hi Linda, Here is the link to the scoping document: https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/projects/lup/90121/123510/150623/SO3353-report.pdf
Wild horses are noted on page 37, in the box that is second from the bottom. So, you can cite that and ask for the AML to be set for viable herd numbers. Thanks for following up on this.
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What we do to Our Wild Horses we do to OURSELVES! They are part of the Heart and Soul of our Country. Not only should we save them, we shouks help them live free and breautiful Lives.
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