Wild horses, burros to be removed from rangelands in Humboldt, Washoe counties

About 2,200 wild horses and burros will be removed from the rangelands in Humboldt and Washoe counties as the Bureau of Land Management begins its winter gather in the Calico wild horse and burro complex.

The BLM's Winnemucca Field Office plans to implement a program of integrated management in the area after the gather.

This removal of wild horses and burros is the first in Nevada since the BLM received an additional appropriation of $9.6 million nationally to implement a strategy to restore watersheds threatened by an overabundance of wild horses and burros. This winter removal will bring the affected herds to below Appropriate Management Levels, better enabling the field office to collect information on herd characteristics, determine herd health, maintain sustainable rangelands, maintain a healthy and viable wild horse population and conduct fertility research.

Gathers began Tuesday in the Black Rock Range East Herd Management Area. (HMA). Operations will move to the Black Rock Range West, Warm Springs Canyon and the Calico Mountains HMAs as the gather progresses. About 575 horses and burros, representing all age categories, will remain in the HMAs. Some of the mares remaining in the area will be treated with a fertility control drug, referred to as "immunocontraception."

Unlike gathers completed in recent years, animals of all ages will be removed. They will be transported to the National Wild Horse and Burro Center at Palomino Valley where they will be prepared for adoption. Older, less likely to be adopted wild horses may be sent to long-term care and holding (pasturing), but the BLM is striving to improve its marketing of animals and events and implement techniques to enhance the adoption prospects of older criminals.

For information on how you may qualify to adopt, call Palomino Valley at 475-2222 or call toll free to 1-866-4MUSTANGS. Wild horse and burro information is also available at www.wildhorseandburrow.blm.gov.