Wild horses in the American West are iconic, soul-stirring and part of our history — but they must be managed.
If left untouched, wild horse herds can double in the span of just four years. Currently, the federal government counts nearly 60,000 wild, free-roaming horses and burros — an 18 percent increase over last year’s count.
That is about 31,000 animals more than what federal officials have set as the appropriate management level.
Overpopulation can not only ravage habitat but also makes it difficult for the herd to sustain itself.
A roundup under way by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management is attempting to remove 167 excess horses from the more than 500 estimated to roam on BLM land in Rio Blanco County near Meeker. The effort has met with protest and litigation. Activists filed suit in federal court to stop the roundup, saying the BLM failed to conduct the proper environmental analysis and follow the requirements of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act.
Roundups can be harrowing scenes. The federal government hires national contractors that fly helicopters to help corral the horses. Bait traps with hay or water are set. And as horses enter the traps, a one-way gate closes.
Critics like director of the Wildlife Rights Law Center for the national non-profit Friends of Animals, say the roundups like the one occurring near Meeker can inflict “social, emotional and physical stress” on the horses. And while it may be heart-wrenching to consider these wild animals are having their freedom curtailed, what are the options?
The government typically sends the horses and burros to be penned in corrals or pastures. Some are even sent to Colorado prisons to be tamed. The BLM spends more than $43 million a year on off-range holding, which currently has more than 43,000 horses in captivity.
Doing nothing would result in massive overpopulation, leading to starvation. Culling the herds would be a political nightmare.
Some urge the use of birth control, but the BLM says current methods are not effective. The available vaccine is effective for only 22 months and must be hand-injected. A second type can be darted, but it is effective for only a year.
The government should continue to explore ways to make fertility control a viable option. But until a better system is developed, the only method that seems to be humane and effective as a management tool is roundups.
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