BLM working to manage lands, wild horses

By MINDY POEHL | Central Texas Edition

Wild horses of the Onaqui Herd near Dugway, Utah are corralled for adoption selection or sale. A new wild horse program permits the Bureau of Land Management to directly sell wild horses and burros under certain criteria. -- Photo by Jerry Sintz

March 31, 2005 - The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is a federal agency which focuses on protecting the equine that are considered America's legends and the public lands they roam.

The BLM manages 262 million surface acres, which is more than any other federal agency. Most of this public land is located in the 12 most Western States, including Alaska.

"Our principle mandate is to manage for multiple uses. The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) says that we basically manage public land for multiple uses," explained Tom Gorey, with BLM's office of public affairs in Washington D.C. "We manage outdoor recreation, conservation, oil and gas development and livestock."

The BLM has estimated that 37,000 wild horses and burros roam on BLM-managed lands in 10 Western states. Off of the range, 24,000 additional wild horses and burros are fed and cared for at holding facilities.

"We have short-term holding facilities, called corrals, and long-term pasture lands for adopted horses to live on," said Gorey.

The cost for holding wild horses and burros in both short- and long-term facilities is projected to be $20.1 million in 2005.

"In December 2004, Congress amended the law as to how we manage the wild horses and burros," Gorey said. "For the first time they gave us a directive to sell wild horses and burros. Before, we could only sell horses through the adoption process."

The legislation directs the BLM to offer for sale those wild horses and burros that are over 10-years-old or have been unsuccessfully offered for adoption at least three times.

"8,400 horses and burros became eligible for sale under the new legislation," Gorey added.

With the new law passed, BLM is selling 500 horses to two Indian tribes in the Dakotas. Thirteen horses were sold to a wild horse rescue group in California, and 200 mares were sold to a Wyoming-based company.

"We are implementing the law in a way that is in the best interest for the horses and burros," Gorey said. "The older animals are harder to adopt, so we do need to sell them. The burros are very popular. They are viewed differently from the horses. They are smaller, companion animals."