Why are American Wild Horses and Burros in danger?
100 years ago an estimated two million mustangs roamed the Western range. But today there are fewer than 90,000 — and the government, through the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), continues to reduce the herds even further. In fact, the BLM is seeking to achieve what they consider to be an "Appropriate Management Level" (AML) of only 27,000.
There are now more than 50,000 horses in BLM holding facilities.The agency spends nearly 2/3 of the wild horse and burro program’s annual budget ($49 million) to care for them, all paid for by the U.S. taxpayers.
There are now more than 50,000 horses in BLM holding facilities.The agency spends nearly 2/3 of the wild horse and burro program’s annual budget ($49 million) to care for them, all paid for by the U.S. taxpayers.
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In 1971 Congress passed the Wild and Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act, designed to preserve and protect our horses as a living symbol of America. In its declaration of policy, Congress stated:
"It is the policy of Congress that wild free-roaming horses and burros shall be protected from capture, branding, harassment, or death; and to accomplish this they are to be considered in the area where presently found, as an integral part of the natural system of the public lands." However, the animals the BLM is responsible to protect are instead being eradicated, some herds being wiped out completely only to be corralled in long-term government holding facilities.
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Wild Horse & Burro Program Facts- Private Livestock outnumbers Wild Horses and Burros on public land by at least 50 to 1
- 70% of the BLM budget is spent on mustang round-ups and stockpiling, while only 6% is spent on fertility control and keeping horses on the range. - Feeding wild horses in government holding facilities cost the American taxpayer $100,000 every day. - Taxpayer-funded livestock grazing on public lands costs over $132 million a year. |
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Wild Horses are under the constant threat of invasive "management" methods, including accelerated roundups, sterilization, and even lethal culling. However, there are humane alternatives available – including the use of safe and efficacious fertility control (PZP).
CLICK HERE for more news regarding the plight of wild horses and burros, including information about horses on tribal lands facing the risk of round-ups and slaughter.