No breaches in helicopter chase, but review in train
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reza eslahi
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The US federal agency responsible for wild horse management says it will review procedures following widely publicised footage of a solitary mare being pursued by a helicopter.
A helicopter repeatedly tries to get an aged mare into a holding pen, in this still from Ginger Kathrens' video (below). They eventually gave up and let her go.
The Bureau of Land Management said its internal review revealed no procedures or policies were breached in the incident, but it will be reviewing them to ensure practices minimise the risk for the horses.
The widely publicised footage shows the mare going down in a small snow drift and being separated from her herd, which was being pushed into a trap by a helicopter in the Antelope Complex in northern Nevada.
Once the mare was up, the helicopter pilot tried to push the mare toward the trap, but then abandoned the bid.
The actions were condemned by wild horse advocates, who said the mare appeared exhausted. Cloud Foundation executive director Ginger Kathrens, in a commentary accompanying the widely publicised video, questioned whether the mare would survive the ordeal in the heart of a Nevada winter.
Bureau director Bob Abbey said the BLM review team was asked to look into the incident to see whether the gather contractor, Sun J Livestock, violated any existing policy or procedures.
"The team found that no such violation occurred," Abbey said.
"This finding does not mean that the BLM is satisfied with its existing policy and procedures dealing with wild horse gathers.
"We will carefully review our policies, consider advice from experts, and continue to look for ways to improve and minimise the risks to animals.
"Since 1976, when Congress first authorised the use of helicopters in the gathering of wild horses, capture techniques have steadily improved.
"But we must advance as far as possible in ensuring the humane treatment of wild horses and burros, both on and off the range," Abbey said.
"The 'old normal' for doing things is not good enough for our agency. We need to take a hard look at existing gather policy and procedures, make any and all needed improvements, and then create a 'new normal' for doing business."
The incident at the centre of the internal inquiry took place on January 27.
The review team comprised Dr Albert Kane, senior staff veterinarian with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; Gus Warr, BLM-Utah Wild Horse and Burro programme specialist; Lili Thomas, wild horse and burro national programme office, Contracting Officer Representative; and Mary D'Aversa, BLM-Nevada Schell Field Office manager.
In their report, they concluded the mare had stumbled or tripped and fell when she lost her footing in a small snow drift.
She was not over-driven and did not collapse from exhaustion, the review team found. Following attempts by the helicopter to herd her into the trap, she ran off uncaptured.
Their assessment was that the mare fell in a small drift and tried unsuccessfully to get to her feet four times during about a 10-second period of time.
A helicopter repeatedly tries to get an aged mare into a holding pen, in this still from Ginger Kathrens' video (below). They eventually gave up and let her go.
The Bureau of Land Management said its internal review revealed no procedures or policies were breached in the incident, but it will be reviewing them to ensure practices minimise the risk for the horses.
The widely publicised footage shows the mare going down in a small snow drift and being separated from her herd, which was being pushed into a trap by a helicopter in the Antelope Complex in northern Nevada.
Once the mare was up, the helicopter pilot tried to push the mare toward the trap, but then abandoned the bid.
The actions were condemned by wild horse advocates, who said the mare appeared exhausted. Cloud Foundation executive director Ginger Kathrens, in a commentary accompanying the widely publicised video, questioned whether the mare would survive the ordeal in the heart of a Nevada winter.
Bureau director Bob Abbey said the BLM review team was asked to look into the incident to see whether the gather contractor, Sun J Livestock, violated any existing policy or procedures.
"The team found that no such violation occurred," Abbey said.
"This finding does not mean that the BLM is satisfied with its existing policy and procedures dealing with wild horse gathers.
"We will carefully review our policies, consider advice from experts, and continue to look for ways to improve and minimise the risks to animals.
"Since 1976, when Congress first authorised the use of helicopters in the gathering of wild horses, capture techniques have steadily improved.
"But we must advance as far as possible in ensuring the humane treatment of wild horses and burros, both on and off the range," Abbey said.
"The 'old normal' for doing things is not good enough for our agency. We need to take a hard look at existing gather policy and procedures, make any and all needed improvements, and then create a 'new normal' for doing business."
The incident at the centre of the internal inquiry took place on January 27.
The review team comprised Dr Albert Kane, senior staff veterinarian with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; Gus Warr, BLM-Utah Wild Horse and Burro programme specialist; Lili Thomas, wild horse and burro national programme office, Contracting Officer Representative; and Mary D'Aversa, BLM-Nevada Schell Field Office manager.
In their report, they concluded the mare had stumbled or tripped and fell when she lost her footing in a small snow drift.
She was not over-driven and did not collapse from exhaustion, the review team found. Following attempts by the helicopter to herd her into the trap, she ran off uncaptured.
Their assessment was that the mare fell in a small drift and tried unsuccessfully to get to her feet four times during about a 10-second period of time.