Wide-ranging reforms of wild horse programme on way
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reza eslahi
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Wide-ranging reforms of wild horse programme on way
February 26, 2011
More on the wild horse issue
The US Bureau of Land Management has acknowledged widespread criticism of its wild horse programme, saying reforms are on their way.
The agency responsible for America's mustangs says it proposes to cut back on gather operations, increase the use of fertility control and adoptions, and strengthen its humane animal care and handling measures.
US Humane Society chief executive Wayne Pacelle said this week's announcement brought cautious reason for hope concerning America's mustangs.
Bureau director Bob Abbey said the agency was accelerating fundamental reforms to how it manages wild horses and burros on public lands.
The bureau says it will continue to oppose the killing or slaughter of wild horses or burros as a management practice.
"We've taken a top to bottom look at the wild horse and burro programme and have come to a straightforward conclusion: we need to move ahead with reforms that build on what is working and move away from what is not," Abbey said.
"To achieve our goal of improving the health of the herds and America's public lands, we need to enlist the help of partners, improve transparency and responsiveness in the programme, and reaffirm science as the foundation for management decisions.
"It will take time to implement these reforms, but as a first step we are aiming to increase adoptions and broaden the use of fertility control."
He said input from the National Academy of Sciences would ensure management is guided by the best available science.
The reforms respond to the input of more than 9000 members of the public who commented on last year's Wild Horse and Burro Programme Strategy Development Document through public meetings and written statements.
Specifically, the bureau proposes to:
The proposal calls for increased engagement of the public by enhancing public outreach, recruiting local volunteers to assist in monitoring the health of the rangelands where animals roam, and encouraging partnerships to increase herd-related ecotourism, he said.
Abbey also promised improved transparency and openness. This will include increasing public viewing opportunities during gathers and at short-term corrals and long-term care facilities to the highest extent possible without compromising the safety of staff, members of the public, or the animals.
He said the bureau was also committed to the accurate, prompt, and public release of information related to the program.
The bureau, he said, was committed to working with stakeholders to ensure viable herds were maintained.
"We share a common goal to improve the wild horse and burro programme and the health of the public lands we manage. Achieving this goal will require a determined focus on reform, new ideas, and opening a new chapter in the management of wild horses, burros, and our public lands," he said.
February 26, 2011
More on the wild horse issue
The US Bureau of Land Management has acknowledged widespread criticism of its wild horse programme, saying reforms are on their way.
The agency responsible for America's mustangs says it proposes to cut back on gather operations, increase the use of fertility control and adoptions, and strengthen its humane animal care and handling measures.
US Humane Society chief executive Wayne Pacelle said this week's announcement brought cautious reason for hope concerning America's mustangs.
Bureau director Bob Abbey said the agency was accelerating fundamental reforms to how it manages wild horses and burros on public lands.
The bureau says it will continue to oppose the killing or slaughter of wild horses or burros as a management practice.
"We've taken a top to bottom look at the wild horse and burro programme and have come to a straightforward conclusion: we need to move ahead with reforms that build on what is working and move away from what is not," Abbey said.
"To achieve our goal of improving the health of the herds and America's public lands, we need to enlist the help of partners, improve transparency and responsiveness in the programme, and reaffirm science as the foundation for management decisions.
"It will take time to implement these reforms, but as a first step we are aiming to increase adoptions and broaden the use of fertility control."
He said input from the National Academy of Sciences would ensure management is guided by the best available science.
The reforms respond to the input of more than 9000 members of the public who commented on last year's Wild Horse and Burro Programme Strategy Development Document through public meetings and written statements.
Specifically, the bureau proposes to:
- Commission the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to review previous wild horse management studies and make recommendations on how the bureau should proceed in light of the latest scientific research. The review is expected to be completed in early 2013. Specifically, the study will look at the methods for population modeling, the annual rates of population growth, fertility control methods, evaluation of carrying capacity of various lands to support wild horse herds, genetic diversity in wild horse herds, and predator impact on wild horse population growth.
- Release within the next 30 days specific procedures by which members of the public can apply to enter into partnerships with the federal government for long-term care of wild horses that are removed from the public rangeland.
- Increase science-based fertility control. The bureau proposes to significantly increase the number of mares treated with fertility control - from 500 in 2009 to a target of 2000 in each of the next two years during the NAS study, pending sufficient budget allocations. Abbey said the bureau's ultimate goal is to make various fertility control measures the primary means to maintain healthy population levels. He said the agency intends to work closely with the Humane Society of the United States to implement and monitor this expanded effort.
- Reduce the annual number of wild horses removed for at least the next two years from 10,000 to 7600 - a level that would essentially maintain the current number of wild horses and burros on the range. The NAS review would be completed in early 2013. Abbey said that while drought or other emergencies may require the removal of more than 7600 animals, it has decided to adopt this more conservative approach pending input from the NAS regarding the number of horses than can be safety and humanely left on the open range.
The proposal calls for increased engagement of the public by enhancing public outreach, recruiting local volunteers to assist in monitoring the health of the rangelands where animals roam, and encouraging partnerships to increase herd-related ecotourism, he said.
Abbey also promised improved transparency and openness. This will include increasing public viewing opportunities during gathers and at short-term corrals and long-term care facilities to the highest extent possible without compromising the safety of staff, members of the public, or the animals.
He said the bureau was also committed to the accurate, prompt, and public release of information related to the program.
The bureau, he said, was committed to working with stakeholders to ensure viable herds were maintained.
"We share a common goal to improve the wild horse and burro programme and the health of the public lands we manage. Achieving this goal will require a determined focus on reform, new ideas, and opening a new chapter in the management of wild horses, burros, and our public lands," he said.