Clan Alpine mare and foal 2023

BLM has begin the Clan Alpine roundup.

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The Roundup

BLM plans to capture approximately 1,594 wild horses, remove 1,381 and treat up to 81 mares with GonaCon Equine, a heavy hitting hormonal fertility control vaccine that stops ovulation for 5-10 years, before being released back to the range along with up to 121 Studs. (NOTE: BLM press release references this as the “2024” roundup and the update page the “2023.” The fiscal year ends October 1 and BLM is in fiscal 2024. The public should not feel “uneducated” (as BLM often likes to make you feel) because they get confused, too.)

This plan will “sex-skew” the range, leaving far fewer mares to studs, and leave no ovulation except in a few mares. This will create behavior problems and aggression in males competing for the few mares that can still cycle. This will leave a bit of “hell on earth” just as we saw with the surgical sterilizations at Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge.

In addition, BLM has never identified “which horses are which.” Clan Alpine (managed by Carson BLM) has a heavy exchange with New Pass/Ravenswood (managed by Battle Mountain). The exchange is so large that in 2012 a roundup was planned in this area and we alerted BLM Carson that they no longer had the horses on their side. They did a flyover. We were right. The operation was cancelled.

This raises serious questions to the validity of any asserted “Appropriate Management Level” (AML) and any census and even what fertility control would even look like, let alone determining if it is needed.

We will bring you more as the roundup moves on about how you can help us challenge this contortion of “management.”

More on the deficits in the Environmental Assessment HERE. 

Red lines denote Herd Areas (or areas designated for use, but not managed) and Blue lines where BLM affirmed areas for management (Herd Management Area (HMA). All areas were HA and BLM cut them up to make HMA land. The Secretary of Interior has the authority to repatriate HA land but has NEVER even evaluated that land for horses to legally be allowed to return… even though most of the areas have always had horses in them. 

Cumulative totals

Captured: 601 Wild Horses (253 Stallions, 255 Mares, and 93 Foals)

Shipped:424 Wild Horses (191 Stallions, 154 Mares, and 79 Foals)

(We are going to start adding the total number in temporary as BLM repeatedly overstocks holding corrals: 169 wild horses overnight 11/13)

Deaths: 8 (BLM said: 11 year-old bay mare, fractured pelvis, 5-year old bay mare, missing left eye due to a previous injury 2 year-old black mare, ruptured tendon on hind, 20+ year-old grey stud, cancer polyps on head. 3 year-old sorrel stud, cancer. 3 year-old bay mare, cancer.  20+ year-old bay stud, abscess infection. 3 year-old sorrel mare, severe abscess on neck.) This seems like a large number of wild horses showing signs of cancer and BLM needs to do an additional environmental study to determine the cause.

Note on injuries and deaths: this is the same contractor you all watched at Surprise/Calico where the number of eye and facial injuries was disproportionately large. Calico HERE and Surprise HERE

A “Roundup rant” from our founder about the beginning of the fiscal year 2024 schedule HERE.

Newest daily reports will appear at the top. Scroll down for earlier reports.

111423 “No fly day” for helicopter maintenance as week 1 comes to a close.

111323

83(44 Stallions, 30 Mares, and 9 Foals)   wild horses were captured as BLM squeezed another day out out of this trap; 3rd day.

Bands that had sough refuge in the hills were pushed down. As multiple bands were pushed together stallions continued to try to protect their families (families that will not exist after BLM uses GonaCon on the range and creates a population of mare that do not ovulate for 5-10 years, releasing primarily older mares that will never ovulate again).

BLM did not enlarge pens, but says they will.

169 wild horses spent the night at holding.

Another wild horse died. BLM said, “11 year-old bay mare, fractured pelvis.”

111223

79 (37 Stallions, 29 Mares, and 13 Foals)   wild horses were captured.

After all of the disturbance in the lowlands yesterday (cows and roundup) horses moved up into the hills. You can see during the first few runs the helicopter was pushing horses even from high on top of the ridgeline. Many of you that “horse watch” also know that horses prefer being on the benches of mountains before the tree line. The bench is much safer to spend the night instead of being exposed on the flat or in the trees with lions (Yes, there are Mountain lions). BLM likes to claim because “there is no food left.” (Hmmm…. how about those cows on the flat?)

Note: At almost every roundup we see pens overstocked by BLMs own CAWP standard that states that pens should not be stocked exceed 50% of the available space. This does not mean “only less than 50% right after you ship in the morning and then start exceeding 50% a few hours after beginning operations for the day.” It means STOP when you fill 50% of a pen or make pens larger.

Using BLM numbers (captured/shipped) there were 138 wild horses in temporary when the day ended. When asked about it by our representative BLM said they plan to enlarge the pen.

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144 (47 Stallions, 72 Mares, and 25 Foals) were captured as BLM ran wild horses (7 runs) through grazing livestock that even grazed in the wings of the trap.

4 more died. BLM said, “3 year-old sorrel stud, cancer. 3 year-old bay mare, cancer.  20+ year-old bay stud, abscess infection. 3 year-old sorrel mare, severe abscess on neck.”

Holding is near full each night.

We are doing a long form report that will link here due to the number of videos and information. Long form Roundup rant HERE

111023

Third Day at the trap near Middlegate on Highway 50. 85 (34 Stallions, 35 Mares, and 16 Foals)  wild horses were captured.

2 deaths. BLM said, “2 year-old black mare, ruptured tendon on hind, 20+ year-old grey stud, cancer polyps on head.”

Near the highway (where trap is set) there is not only the fence as you near the road, but allotment fencing and fencing for the livestock turnout area.

In the video above, you can see the horses trying to navigate the maze as they drop in on the backside of trap, get confused, head back and are eventually captured.

Above: Adult wild horse is roped. BLM considers the this are “off HMA” near the highway (as they usually do). Even though horses have always been here and use this area for seasonal movement between HMAs (an always have) and the way BLM placed livestock fencing the only available water in the area is now near the highway, BLM will not correct the error in boundary lines through the Herd Management Area Plan (HMAP) process.

Trap moves tomorrow.

110923

Another cold day that began in the low 20’s. Our observer reported that the chopper was in the air when the arrived around 6:30, but did not bring horses in for a couple of hours.

Above: The trap is near Highway 50, in an area with regular traffic. Video above shows you how BLM is using the fence at the highway as part of a “wing” that leads to trap. You can see a few feet of “flagging” where the jute intersects with the barbed wire.

Below: We matched up calls we were receiving from the public traveling the road to footage. Out of site of observers, the public reported a single black horse being dogged by helicopter and riders. BLM reports that the horse was not captured by roping, but later in the day via drive trap. THANK YOU to everyone that saw the roundup from the highway and contacted us.

80 (29 Stallions, 43 Mares, and 8 Foals)  wild horses were captured.

The first death has occurred at this operation. BLM put down a 5-year old bay mare saying she was missing an eye, This is the same contractor you all watched at Surprise/Calico where the number of eye and facial injuries was disproportionately large. Calico HERE and Surprise HERE

110823

From dawn to dusk BLM hit Clan Alpine hard on the first day capturing 130 wild horses (62 Stallions, 46 Mares, and 22 Foals).

The day was very cold staring around 22 degrees. This area is expected to have a temperature drop over the next couple of days.

BLMs inadequate temperature guidelines are not the equivalent of veterinary standards for horses. BLM can run wild horses for miles (often into a sweat) in temperatures as low as 10 degrees and even lower if BLM themselves approves it.

WHE is carrying litigation to show that how BLM currently does roundups is inadequate to parameters of the law to manage humanely.

ACTION ITEM: But YOU can help as we engage lawmakers to get a designated budget line item in the next budget for “rule-making” for welfare standards. (CLICK HERE to participate)

BLM has started near the highway not far from Middlegate and temporary holding is not far away.

Wild horses appeared to be in really good condition.

Without your help, none of this work is possible. Our teams are in the field and deep in the fight to protect and preserve our wild ones.

We have a matching donor that will cover the initial costs, but we will need your help to carry the costs of the case as it moves through the courts. All contributions up to $10,000. will be matched dollar-for-dollar from now through November. 

There are many ways to support the work of WHE from direct contribution, stock donations and even while you shop. More HERE.