Report criticizes management of wild horses: herds continue to grow at fast pace.

The research suggests the Bureau of Land Management needs to implement significant changes to the Wild Horse and Burro Program, including increasing fertility control efforts, ensuring humane animal care, and enhancing program transparency. The report, commissioned by the BLM and created by the National Academy of Sciences’ National Research Council, found most wild horse herds in the U.S. are growing rapidly each year.

Research Background

• The research was commissioned by the Bureau of Land Management and carried out by the National Academy of Sciences’ National Research Council.
• The study aimed to provide an independent assessment of various scientific issues connected to the BLM’s management of wild horses and burros on public lands in the western United States.
• The research themes included population modeling, growth rates, fertility control methods, land carrying capacity, genetic diversity, and predator impact on population growth.

Key Findings

• The research found that wild horse herds in the U.S. are growing at a rate of 15-20% per year, which indicates that a herd could double in size within four years and triple within six.
• It was discovered that current management practices were not based on rigorous population-monitoring procedures and therefore facilitating high horse population growth rates.
• The report also identified the lack of transparency concerning how appropriate management levels are established, monitored, and adjusted, which is problematic for stakeholders.
• Effective fertility control methods were identified for use on free-ranging animals, but the Wild Horses and Burros Management Handbook was found lacking in specific directions for managers to establish and adjust population management levels.
• This comprehensive study was conducted to help center the debate on management options based on factual data and predictable outcomes.

Recommendations

• The committee recommended that the BLM collaborate with the U.S Geological Survey to develop rigorous yet practical survey methods for population monitoring. These would help to inform management decisions.
• It was also suggested that BLM should consider a broad array of stakeholders, including local communities, when creating management plans.
• The BLM was urged to increase specificity in its guidance and counsel to field managers concerning establishing and adjusting population management levels.
• Another report by the American Association of Equine Practitioners BLM Task Force echoed similar findings and advised prioritizing research into effective fertility control methods.

Next Steps

• The findings will aid the BLM in improving the effectiveness of the Wild Horse and Burro Program.
• The BLM and the National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board will review the report. This board advises BLM and the U.S. Forest Service on the management, protection, and control of wild, free-roaming horses and burros on public lands.