Where Are The Babies? (North Trap_7/21)

By Laura Leigh on July 22, 2023

BLM published statistics from North Trap from 7/21.

We are publishing the statistics from today in a screen grab. For the last few days our people on the ground are getting confronted (more than usual) and even yelled at. Things are tense. A reminder for BLM: if you have a problem with anything written on the website contact our team lead… you have her number. In fact, she has been trying to get you to speak to her for more than just a few years about ongoing issues and how to reform.

NOTE: BLM will publish a temperature that they take in the shade at trap. We are simply supposed to take their word. Our observers carry equipment that has been calibrated and our team lead is monitoring the area using weather station data and gps. We are also talking about the Heat Index, not temperature. The Heat Index cannot be calculated using temperature alone. AT 9:05 on July 22… you are crossing into the extreme caution zone. The judgment of humans is going to be off-kilter in an hour.

The first statistic that will grab your attention in the image at the top of the page is that 2 wild horses died of broken rear legs (like Sunshine did). These did not happen where we could see them. We do not know about the “foal with pre-existing.” We suspect that BLM is counting injuries that happen any time before a horse hits the trap as “pre-existing.”

8 wild horses have died from the North traps alone during this operation of the 444 Wild Horses
(152 Stallions, 221 Mares, and 71 Foals) captured.

7 deaths have been reported as of July 20th from South trap. We expect the number reported from yesterday to add 2 deaths, but it has not been confirmed. We are loading the South trap report and waiting for BLM to confirm stats.

The stats are now in from South trap. 2 more have died. 20 year old Sorrel mare; Death (Acute/Unexpected); lameness, left rear leg. Sorrel foal (male); Death (Chronic/Pre-existing); club footed, both front feet.

9 have died at South trap as BLM rushes to complete operations that were approved to last through August.

At least 17 wild horses have died in BLM traps and holding pens so far. The number of deaths after transport to processing is unknown. The number that have died on-range is unknown.

WHERE ARE THE BABIES?

Each day during this operation the percentage of mares coming in with babies (according to BLM) has ranged from around 30% to around 40%. Yesterday that number dropped to 16%.: 30 stallions, 25 mares and only 4 foals were reported captured by BLM.

When BLM sorts horses at temporary corrals they sort off “wet mares” and put them in a pen. When they sort foals they put them in that pen to see if they “pair up” with a nursing mare. Then they are separated the next morning again for the long drive to the processing or short-term holding hundreds of miles from trap. In this case, they are going to an off-limits to public view facility in Fallon, NV., Broken Arrow, aka Indian Lakes).

The video above shows only about 4 foals in a pen of a lot more wet mares than 4. We confirmed that observation through the BLM daily report. Only 4 foals were captured. Our video shows at least 2 dropped off and were not seen again.

BLM IN CHARGE TOOK THE DAY OFF AS SECOND HEAT WAVE HITS

The Incident Commander (command terminology can be found in article on “self-assessment” after the Advisory Board meeting) took a day or 2 off and left a young and relatively inexperienced person in charge (COR) of a crew at trap as a heat wave hits. The same pilot that was used at Triple B and was involved HERE and the IC thought the heatwave was a good time to take time off?

NOTE: Even though the north and south crew are simply splitting the same contract services, the north crew has had the least experienced pilot every single day. We are noticing some interesting choices in how resources are being used.

There were no “spotters” placed in the valley for BLM to notify the COR of any issue with drive-trapping. For the vast majority of the day, there was not even a second person inside the chopper. It appears COR just wanted numbers.

The numbers? Only about half the horses chased all day long… all day long… were captured. Babies were struggling to keep up… all day long. We see at least 4 fall off and cannot find them again scanning hours of video as the heat rose to over 100 in the shade at observation. BLMs own posted stats confirm the observation… only 4 foals out of 59 wild horses were captured (less than 7% of the total population and only 16% relative to mares.

BLM IS AT THIS SAME TRAP AS THE SECOND DAY OF THE SECOND DANGEROUS HEAT WAVE HITS

BLMs Comprehensive Animal Welfare Policy (CAWP) team has also left town. They came, probably gave the operation a “great” rating and told them to watch the heat. Then they went back to air-conditioned offices feeling prepared to show any courts that “they care.”

Our volunteer team is out braving the heat; her calibrated equipment (that simply might not be as expensive as the taxpayer purchased piece the BLM has) showed 100 in the shade and the weather station also reported temps of over 100 in that area.

Writing that statement above runs the real risk that some Facebook buddy of someone inside BLM will instant message them and our observer will be yelled at and scolded. BLM can respond to a Facebook PM from a friend so fast… and ignore requests through official channels for years. HOWEVER, the statement above referencing above 100 degree temperatures recorded in the area during trapping is simply an honest observation.

This is the exact conduct a federal judge warned BLM about at another roundup. EXACTLY.

This type of video might not play well on the evening news because it is not easy to use for a 30 second segment… but this is what drives look like. What the agony of a July roundup looks like. This is a constant torture to body and mind… and then it happens again the next day to any horse that ran hard enough to escape the first day. DURING A DANGEROUS HEAT INDEX.

BLM knows that this is wrong. BLM spends a lot of time creating paperwork to say “we are working on it”and “doing better.” You do not do all of that if you do not know it is wrong. It is a shame they do not stop and fix the problems first before killing more wild horses.

BLM also knows that Congress can say anything they want in a spending bill and it does not stop them. Social media, news and movies can “raise awareness” and outrage the public… and they don’t have to stop.

Secretary of the Interior Debra Haaland is the person whose authority BLM is operating the roundup under, she could stop this. But she won’t even answer the news when they ask her for a comment.

The only way to stop them is a call from the President or an Order of the Court.

We are working as fast as we can to get everything together (you can’t just walk into court with a video, you need a lot more).

We also find it absolutely insane that we have to even try to take this to court again. This is something BLM should care about. It almost feels sometimes like they are taking out their job frustrations on the horses or something? This is crazy.

Many of you are feeling as desperate, angry and disgusted as we are. You are asking for something to do.

You can light up the White House Switchboard.

Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461

White House contact page on their website HERE

You can view the first days of the North and South trap operations (with additional links) through the links below. We are extremely busy and do not have a big paid staff like BLM does (or a weekend off). We will update as fast as we can.

History of the fight against abuse, click HERE

2023 Summer Roundups

Antelope North Daily Public Reports

Antelope South Daily Public Reports

Reveille Daily Public Reports

Today is the last day to purchase a WHE welfare team support shirt. If you want to support the team through a t-shirt you can find them HERE.

Thank you for keeping us in the field and in the fight!