More brutal wild horse and burro roundups are slated to begin shortly where Bureau of Land Management (BLM) helicopters will chase and terrify herds living on taxpayer funded public lands in Utah, Colorado, and Nevada.
The largest of these summer roundups is scheduled for Nevada’s Shawave Mountains Herd Management Area (HMA) located about 50 miles northeast of Reno. This HMA is part of a one million acre complex (a grouping of several herds). In this complex, the BLM allows only 333-553 horses and 50-90 burros. Meanwhile, they authorize 1,200 privately owned cattle and 2,700 sheep to graze year-round!
Currently, the BLM is working to gut wild horse and burro herds by as many as 15,000-20,000 each year over several years if Congress makes the decision to fund the BLM’s massive roundup plan.
Summer roundups are grossly inhumane because of brutally hot temperatures, and due to the presence of tiny, very young foals, who have literally run to death from helicopter stampedes across rough terrain and for prolonged distances.
Another concern this year is that cruel and unnecessary roundups could take place out of public view, as the BLM has indicated that it may use COVID-19 restrictions to block the public from witnessing and documenting these events.
The entire situation must be closely monitored to protect the wild horses and burros. Calling and writing to elected officials is one way the public can help. Locate your U.S. Senators via www.senate.gov; House of Representatives through www.house.gov.