The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) was set to conduct several horse roundups in early September but faced legal opposition against some of its plans.
On Sept. 2, BLM announced it was planning to launch emergency rescue operations in southeast Oregon, where wild horses are under threat from severe food and water shortages from a dry winter and recent wildfires, the agency said.
The Sheepshead/Heath Creek Herd Management Area (HMA) located northwest of Burns, OR, was estimated to have about 1,200 horses whereas the appropriate management level (AML) is closer to 500-900 horses. BLM planned to gather up to 499 horses and transport them to off-range holding facilities, after which some horses will be available for adoption.
“Ongoing drought has left this herd with only two of the usual 63 water sources available,” said Cassandra Andrews-Fleckenstein, deputy district manager for the Vale District Office. “We are taking this necessary, humane step to prevent widespread suffering and a further decline in the animals’ health.”
BLM also planned to begin a second emergency gather operation in southeast Oregon but was blocked by a court motion following a lawsuit from wild horse advocates.
The Riddle Mountain HMA, located southeast of Burns and adjacent to Riddle Mountain, was already showing a lack of forage from drought before the Bald Mountain Fire last month.
“We can’t leave these horses out on the burned landscape,” said Don Rotell, Burns District Office manager. “Two-thirds of their food was lost to wildfire.”
The Riddle Mountain HMA has an AML of 33-56 horses but was estimated to have a population of 348 head as of March. BLM planned to gather the entirety of the herd around Sept. 9 but was temporarily blocked after wild horse advocates filed suit.
Just a day before the gather was set to happen, the U.S. District Court in Oregon granted a temporary restraining order blocking the gather. The lawsuit was brought by Oregon Wild Horse Organization, Central Oregon Wild Horse Coalition and Western Watersheds Project.
The BLM also planned to gather horses in the Challis HMA near Challis, ID, to reduce overpopulation but faced legal opposition from horse advocacy group Wild Horse Education. A judge in the U.S. District Court in Idaho Sept. 5 declined a motion to stop the roundup but allowed a preliminary injunction motion hearing to take place after the roundup was set to occur around Sept. 9.
The Challis HMA can support about 185-253 horses but is estimated to have a population of about 330 horses. BLM was set to gather about 281 horses and remove about 146 animals to stabilize conditions on the range, along with treating about 54 mares with fertility control. — Anna Miller Fortozo, WLJ managing editor
