BLM Announces Intent to Launch Attack Upon Wyoming North Lander Wild Horse Herd

Straight from the Horse's Heart

Posted: September 5, 2012 by R.T. Fitch in Horse News

Official Unedited BLM Press Release (less headlines)

Agency gives itself it’s own stamp of “No Significant Impact” in Removing and Sterilizing Wild Horse Herd

Release Date: 09/05/12
Contacts:
Sarah Beckwith, 307-347-5207
Cindy Wertz, 307-775-6014

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Lander Field Offices has released a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) and decision record (DR) for a wild horse gather in the North Lander Wild Horse Herd Management Area (HMA) Complex, located east of Riverton in Fremont County. The gather is scheduled to begin in early November.

Based on a July 2012 census flight to inventory the population, it is estimated that there are approximately 900 wild horses in the North Lander Complex, which encompasses the Conant Creek, Dishpan Butte, Muskrat Basin and Rock Creek HMAs. The appropriate management level (AML) for the complex is 320-536 horses.

The BLM will gather, treat with fertility control, release and remove wild horses. The gather is necessary to bring the population of the complex back to its AML and slow the growth rate of the population that is returned to the North Lander Complex to help achieve a thriving natural ecological balance and a multiple use relationship with other resources within the HMAs.

The revised environmental assessment, FONSI and DR are available atwww.blm.gov/wy/st/en/info/NEPA/documents/lfo/N-Lander-gather.html. The decision is subject to administrative review through the appeal process, which is outlined in the DR.

Wild horses that are removed will be available for adoption to qualified applicants. For more information about adopting a Wyoming wild horse, visit www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/programs/Wild_Horses.html.

For more information, please contact BLM Wild Horse Specialist Scott Fluer at 307-332-8400.