Diamond Studs captured on Sept 10, day 1 of the operation
Cumulative total as of 9/16/2020, pm:
Wild Horses Captured: 603 (247 Studs, 244 Mares, and 112 Foals)
11 Deaths: a 5 month old Sorrel fractured spine, a stud (no age given) collapsed during the run and died, 2-3 year old Sorrel stallion, euthanized due to a displaced cervical vertebrae, severe weakness in all four limbs. an 18 year old stallion with a club foot was euthanized, a 7 year old with a broken hip, a 4 year old in poor body condition (according to BLM a “2”), 3 year old with a broken leg (BLM states break is old break).
BLM has classified 4 more deaths as “chronic conditions,” including: 10 year old roan stallion, club foot, 8 year old sorrel stallion, broken right front shoulder (chronic), 8 year old sorrel stallion, broken left rear leg (chronic), 20+ year old palomino stud, Body Condition Score 1.5 (chronic).
BLM targets 1,225 wild horses for capture. BLM will permanently remove approximately 1,165. BLM plans to treat approximately 30 mares PZP-22 and release back to the Diamond HMA (along with about 30 number studs). The BLM expects the helicopter gather to take approximately 20-25 days.
The diamond complex is about 258,278 acres that sits where 3 different districts meet and is “managed jointly” by Elko, Ely and Battle Mountain. An area BLM consistently targets as “off HMA” (Diamonds) represents a migratory route used by mule deer and wild horses between the Diamonds and the neighboring Triple B (and includes livestock allotments that have held strong political sway since before the Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act passed in the 70’s). The “claiming period” from 1971-1976 saw many of the wild horses in this area claimed as private property and no consideration was made when drawing HMA boundaries, by any of the BLM districts, that wild horses would still continue to move through. BLM will remove all wild horses in that “off HMA” zone as well as wild horses inside the complex.
The current operation is the “Ten Years to AML” (Path Forward) agreement (between livestock and big cash animal orgs) in action. It includes the “PZP” component of the current proposed amendment to the budget bill.
The last roundup at the Diamonds in 2013 BLM said they would release wild horses after treatment with fertility control and begin a management plan that included ongoing monitoring, water improvements and treatment. In 2017 BLM officially stopped woking on the plans with WHE.
What is happening at Diamond, is what is planned for all HMAs. Not one actual issue specific to the Diamonds has been addressed in planning. An acceleration of the status quo is heading to every HMA.
Mares and foals captured at the Diamonds and sent to the smoke filled facility north of Reno, PVC, 9/12
Diamond roundup statistics:
Cumulative total as of 9/16/2020, pm:
Wild Horses Captured: 603 (247 Studs, 244 Mares, and 112 Foals)
7 Deaths: a 5 month old Sorrel fractured spine, a stud (no age given) collapsed during the run and died, 2-3 year old Sorrel stallion, euthanized due to a displaced cervical vertebrae, severe weakness in all four limbs. an 18 year old stallion with a club foot was euthanized, a 7 year old with a broken hip, a 4 year old in poor body condition (according to BLM a “2”), 3 year old with a broken leg (BLM states break is old break) .
BLM has classified 4 more deaths as “chronic conditions,” including: 10 year old roan stallion, club foot, 8 year old sorrel stallion, broken right front shoulder (chronic), 8 year old sorrel stallion, broken left rear leg (chronic), 20+ year old palomino stud, Body Condition Score 1.5 (chronic).
Day 5:
126 wild horses captured (53 Studs, 50 Mares, and 23 Foals)
3 deaths. According to BLM they are as follows:
- At holding an 18 year old grey stallion, euthanized due to a club foot; in accordance with IM 2015-050 due to hopeless prognosis for recovery.
- At holding a 4 year old sorrel mare, euthanized due to poor body condition (BCS 2); was euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070 due to poor prognosis for recovery.
- At holding a 7 year old black mare, euthanized due to a broken hip; was euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070 due to a poor prognosis for recovery.
Pictures below from 9/14 of the wild horses shipped to facility so you can see examples of body condition. The roundup has, so far, not afforded a real opportunity to assess condition.
The air quality index at the facility has improved from extremely hazardous to unhealthy.
Day 4:
116 wild horses captured (41 Studs, 47 Mares, and 28 Foals)
Death: BLM states “2-3 year old Sorrel stallion, euthanized due to a displaced cervical vertebrae, severe weakness in all four limbs”
Day 3:
18 wild horses captured (9 Studs, 7 Mares, and 2 Foals)
2 deaths: a 5 month old Sorrel fractured spine, a stud (no age given) collapsed during the run and died.
Air quality index at PVC at 6 am, hazardous 
9/12
Day 2: captured 30 wild horses (7 Studs, 16 Mares, and 7 Foals)
Day 1: captured 103 wild horses (53 Studs, 41 Mares, and 9 Foals)
Above are mares and foals from the Diamonds.The facility is closed. Images taken through fences.
One of our field reps met a journalist at the holding corrals; we know the traps at Diamonds, Our rep came in from checking on herds moving from the fires and smoke to discuss management planning and the Diamonds.
We are currently monitoring some of the fire and smoke exodus of wildlife and wild horses.
If you live in one of the western states where animals are fleeing fire and smoke, please call your Governor and ask that they urge federal land managers (BLM, Forest Service) to ask permittees to tun on waters! Our teams are reporting a lot of animal sign near waters that are off. Many livestock operators have turned off water as they move their animals. Wildlife and wild horses are in desperate need.
Our teams in NW Nevada are noticing a lot of sign as animals flee the smoke. From our rep in field: “I am watching the exodus and wildlife and wild horses moving down the NW corridor of NV… and waters are off. Lots of animal sign near dry troughs.”
Todays newsletter has fast links to contact pages for multiple state Governors HERE
We thought you might like to see some of your wild horses that have lost freedom forever. These are the studs.
BLM is mandated to manage. BLM is not mandated to remove. BLM skips management planning. Please remember there is no actual management plan for any of the HMAs in the Diamond Complex. They deserved more than the same old broken system that continues to remove our wild ones and leaves them at risk of slaughter.
You can take action HERE as we push for accountable, sustainable and fair management planning.
Categories: Wild Horse Education
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