Wild Horse Education

Legal Briefs, briefly, and other stuff

One of Nevada's amazing wild horses

One of Nevada’s amazing wild horses

Wild Horse Education (WHE) is currently very active gathering range documentation on herd health and range conditions in multiple areas. The documentation is crucial to support the creation of sustainable management practices instead of the “capture and warehouse” mode relied on in the past. The broken practice of non-justifiable decision making must end.

In the last month WHE has actively engaged several areas. Due to time constraints and other factors we have not had time to update our readers. Time is still limited so briefly, we give you the following update.

Blue Wing roundup in Pershing county

Blue Wing roundup in Pershing county

1. This past week a motion to intervene on behalf of our wild horses and burros was granted against Pershing County. The County is echoing the NACO action that was defeated in federal district court, and is currently under Appeal in the Ninth Circuit, asking for broad scale removals and even the resumption of “sale without limitation,” or slaughter. Laura Leigh of WHE is an active participant based on her work to create sound management practices in the district and her relationship with the wild horses in the county. (See a roundup in the area that was covered by Travel Channel  http://wildhorseeducation.org/travel-channel/)

Laura Leigh of Wild Horse Education has historic involvement and knowledge of wild horse and livestock issues in Pershing County and supported this intervention through a declaration outlining her interest in and knowledge of the area and its wild horses.

Video above of release of Fish Creek wild horses that is still under legal fire.

2. The legal fight continues to keep the Fish Creek wild horses on the range. All legal challenges require multiple documents and motions prior to any hearing. At Fish Creek the return of the wild horses to the range was challenged. The release occurred and we are currently tracking them and range conditions. However Eureka county is continuing the fight in the Interior Board of Land Appeals (IBLA) to have them removed (and even destroyed). We are filing documents and tracking range conditions to address issues as they arise.

Flight that includes some images of the Little Owyhee area included in the McDermitt agreement.

3. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the United States Forest Service have entered into and agreement with the McDermitt tribal authorities to remove horses from public land. The vast majority of these horses will go to slaughter. WHE is actively engaged in preparing to challenge any involvement that would threaten wild horses protected under the Act. We are continuing to document.

Antelope Valley October 2012 (Leigh)

Antelope Valley October 2012 (Leigh)

4. The Antelope Complex in Eastern NV has a so called “Pilot Program” for PZP/Gonacon treating horses. The outlined EA is a lame attempt at presenting a compliance with NAS recommendations. The project area is overgrazed by domestic livestock. We are gathering documentation to address these flaws in range management either through wild horse decisions or any other process that presents itself.

Diamond Complex 2015

Diamond Complex 2015

5. The only area mentioned specifically in the NACO suit against wild horses is the Diamond Complex. WHE has been actively documenting the area to continue to address issues and fight if required.

Wild Horse Education drought monitoring of a livestock grazing allotment in the Elko district of NV (more coming soon)

Wild Horse Education drought monitoring of a livestock grazing allotment in the Elko district of NV (more coming soon)

6. WHE is actively documenting other areas where we are seeing the same “crisis” bent practices in management. Proactive action appears to be beyond the grasp of current management styles. We are continuing to attempt to present alternative concepts yet preparing to address these escalating issues (in whatever manner required) should our attempts at conversation fall on ears that refuse to evolve.

We will update you as time allows.

We MUST be vigilant.

Herd watching over heavily pregnant mare

Herd watching over heavily pregnant mare 2015

WildHorse Education.org remains devoted to gaining protections against abuse, slaughter and extinction. Help keep us in the fight. http://WildHorseEducation.org/donate

Categories: Wild Horse Education