Video above: Watch horses being captured “Fox Lake Range 2021 Day 5, Run 1.” These exclusive videos and images of the wild horse gather operation are the product of WHE. Often our volunteer observers are the only source on-site. Our presence achieves transparency and public oversight. We also hope to bring you onto the landscape with us by offering you the sights and sounds of the event and enable you to experience the impact on wild horses. This extraordinary content is being brought to you by improvising and overcoming difficulties of distance travelled, remoteness and techno challenges in unstable settings.
Capture has ended at the Fox-Lake Range “AML maintenance/fertility control” BLM operation in Nevada. The Fox-Lake range consists of 172,692 acres of BLM land and 5,032 acres of a mix of private and other public lands for a total of 177,724 acres. (Roundup of 2017)
26 (11 Stallions, 15 Mares, and 0 Foals) were captured on the last day. 12 stallions were shipped to Palomino Valley Center north of Reno, permanently removed.
23 stallions were released. Mares are being held for a second treatment of GonaCon before release.
Temperatures ranged from 19 – 36 degrees, winds 10 – 15 with gusts to 35mph. The horses’ breathing show the cold temperatures in many of these shots.
Video above: Recent captives on last day of captures “Fox-Lake Range 2021, Day 5, Trap.”
The totals for this operation: 82 Wild Horses (38 Stallions, 44 Mares, and 0 Foals) captured, 12 shipped and 4 have died (25+ year-old Bay Stallion BLM said “was euthanized in accordance with IM2021-007 due to acute injury (fracture)” and a 3-year-old Bay Mare was put down due to “a pre-existing injury (fracture);” 20+ year old Bay Stud was put down “due to a pre-existing chronic injury (lameness);” one of the mares being held for GonaCon died due to colic.
Slideshow above: Stallion is run back and forth through the valley. A roper tried and failed to rope the exhausted
stud. But the horse lets the loop slip down and moves through it.
BLM sets Appropriate Management Level (AML) for the Fox-Lake Range HMA at 122-204. The current estimated population is 154 wild horses, which includes foals born this year. Even though this population count does not exceed AML, BLM plans to capture and remove approximately 20 “excess” wild horses, and treat and release approximately 40 mares with Gona-Con, a hormonal fertility control agent. GonaCon requires multiple doses prior to release of mares. Mare will be held near trap site until release in about 30 days.
Video above: “Fox-Lake Range 2021 Day 5, One” Long edit clip of stud that was run and run, slipped through the roper’s loop and remains free on the range. The last capture attempt of an unnecessary roundup ended with a stud evading capture.
You can see earlier images and video from Fox-Lake HERE.
We are working on the year in review. In 2021, our teams took legal action against livestock, mining and are fighting archaic practices in planning that shortchange the wild horse again and again. In 2021, our field teams hit roundups (often being the only ones on-site for weeks) and documented drought issues the agency is blaming on the horses and making deals with livestock and mining.
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Categories: Lead
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