Tag Archives: Bureau of Land Management

*Featured/Spotlights, Horse Care/Protection

1,000 Burros Need Your Help: An Opportunity That Only Comes Up Every 20-30 Years

Photo credit: Ginger Kathrens.

Every 20-30 years the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is supposed to create a long-term management plan for wild horse and burro herds, called a Herd Management Area Plan (HMAP). These HMAPs outline management actions that will be carried out over the coming years; they can include what is prohibited and what should be done, along with alternatives.

Right now, BLM is asking for public input for the Bullfrog HMAP. The wonderful burros who live in this HMA often go into the town of Beatty during the dry summer months due to a lack of water on the range. BLM’s solution for this — as it seems to be for everything/in every situation — is removal.

Now is the time for us to call upon BLM to create humane solutions that:

  • Ensure adequate water sources are available and protected in the HMA to help keep burros on the range, off of the roadways, and out of the town.
  • Take safety measures/establishing measures to keep the burros safe. For instance, because the HMA is cut in half by Hwy 95, a burro crossing might be in order.
  • Reassess and increase the “Allowable” Management Level (AML) to a reasonable and humane number — right now BLM only allows 58 to 91 burros on approximately 130 square miles. This AML was set 27 years ago and needs to be reevaluated!

Please click here and take one-minute to make your voice heard. Due October 18.

Thank you for taking action — without your action, change will not happen!

The Cloud Foundation
www.thecloudfoundation.org

Horse Care/Protection

Tell BLM: NO to Helicopters, Roping, and Eliminating Burros from Tassi-Gold Butte in AZ

Photo credit: Ginger Kathrens.

Wild burros in the USA are facing a genetic health crisis due to the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) mismanagement that keeps herd numbers low and too often zeros them out entirely. This is the case for the Tassi-Gold Butte burros. We will not be silent when BLM tells us that they will zero out yet another burro herd.

BLM states that the reason for removing the burros is aimed at protecting the desert tortoise and water sources. There is NO livestock grazing permitted in the Herd Management Area (HMA), yet there IS livestock grazing occurring in the adjoining Desert Tortoise Designated Critical Habitat and surrounding allotments! How disingenuous of BLM to target removing the burros before addressing the livestock.

Hold on. It gets worse. BLM proposes using helicopters to stampede the burros to men on horseback who will rope the already frightened animals… a cruel method sure to cause these sensitive animals fear, pain, and possible death.

Please take QUICK ACTION and tell the BLM that they must abandon the 1995 plan to eliminate ALL burros from the Tassi-Gold Butte HMA in northwestern Arizona (35 miles from Mesquite, Nevada).

Getting public comments on the record is important — otherwise BLM can claim the public supports their gross mismanagement. Please join us. Call on BLM to re-evaluate their decision to zero out this HMA. Instead, they should implement actions that would negate the need to remove hundreds of these wild burros.

Please click here and take one minute to make your voice heard by September 9.

The Cloud Foundation
www.thecloudfoundation.org

*Featured/Spotlights, Horse Care/Protection

Update on Cloud Foundation Lawsuit to Get Cameras on Helicopters

We wanted to share some GOOD news regarding The Cloud Foundation’s lawsuit to get cameras on helicopters at roundups.

As you may know, public observers attending roundups are only able to see a small portion of the operation (and that is dependent on the government providing adequate observation areas — which is not usually the case). As a result, most of the government’s highly controversial activities at these tragic roundups go unseen and unknown by the public. This is why last August TCF filed suit to require cameras on roundup helicopters, at trap sites, and in holding pens. This will allow the public to see in real time (or as close to real time as possible) how wild horses and burros are treated for the entirety of a roundup. Camera footage will hold BLM accountable, compel more humane treatment, and hopefully change the paradigm to show that wild horses are not “over-populating” our public lands and deserve their fair share.

Of course, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) does not want this transparency and accountability, and are fighting our lawsuit by moving to dismiss two of our claims. They argued to the court that BLM did not need to consider TCF’s public comments request for the cameras or whether “real-time cameras would be an easy, cost-effective method to facilitate public viewing of roundups and prevent inhumane treatment of horses during roundups…”

Thankfully, the court recently ruled that BLM is wrong. This means ALL the claims in our lawsuit will move forward, despite BLM’s attempt at dismissal. We are 10 months in and there is still a long way to go, but we have overcome the first of BLM’s obstacles to government accountability.

We will embrace each win to build strength to continue this fight for our wild ones. The court’s decision on the BLM’s motion to dismiss can be read here.

We cannot undertake actions such as this without the generous support of people like you. So, THANK YOU — this win is yours. If you are able, please consider donating by clicking here to support this important effort. Your donation will support this lawsuit and make you a part of history to reverse BLM’s distorted management of our precious wild horses and burros.

Thank you for your dedication and perseverance in fighting to get wild horses and burros fair and humane treatment. Together, we can do this.

The Cloud Foundation
www.thecloudfoundation.org

*Featured/Spotlights, Horse Care/Protection

Comment on Long-Term Management Plan for Wild Horses in Nevada’s Pancake Complex

Please take quick action below to participate in the Bureau of Land Management’s long-term Herd Management Area Plan (HMAP) for the Pancake Complex, which spans more than 1 million acres or 1,680 square miles in eastern Nevada. The Complex is home to an estimated 1,400 wild horses and includes three Herd Management Areas and one Forest Service Wild Horse Territory. To break that down, that’s over one square mile for every horse! Despite the current small population in such a large area, the government wants to reduce the population to just 361 to 638 horses. Sadly, the BLM has resurrected the failed and ill-conceived idea of castrating 138 of the stallions in this EA.

Getting public comments on the record is important — otherwise BLM can claim we support this grotesque mismanagement. Please join The Cloud Foundation in calling for fair and humane management that preserves natural “wild” behaviors, family units, and freedom, and perhaps most importantly, gives wild horses and burros their fair share.

As Nelson Mandella said: “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” As long as we never give up, we will succeed and get our precious wild horses and burros the fair and humane treatment they deserve!

Please click here and take one minute to submit your comments by July 18.

The Cloud Foundation
www.thecloudfoundation.org

*Featured/Spotlights, Horse Care/Protection

Honor the Spirit of America: Call for Freedom by Opposing Massive Extermination of Wild Horses in WY

The Bureau of Land Management is asking for public input on its Massive Extermination Plan for the wild horses in southern Wyoming. This is a direct assault – to permanently get rid of, or zero out, all wild horses to accommodate the Rock Springs Grazing Association’s private livestock on our public lands. HMAs affected include Salt Wells Creek, Divide Basin, and the northern portion of Adobe Town.

We are not willing to accept, on any terms, this MASSIVE ROUNDUP.

Please take the time to sign our petition today.

Please share this message with your friends, family, and on social media. We must show BLM that Americans – from all walks of life and across all political aisles – want Wyoming’s Wild Horses protected.

This Extermination Plan must be stopped. Without your help these magnificent animals are doomed.

Comments are due July 8th. Click here to take action — sign the petition and access EA documents and other information.

The Cloud Foundation
www.thecloudfoundation.org

*Featured/Spotlights

Wyoming’s Wild Horses Are under Attack: Stop BLM’s Wild Horse Extermination Plan

As we start a fresh new year, BLM Wyoming is finalizing its disastrous plan to further destroy wild horse herds in the southern portion of the state. 10 years in the making, this plan includes eliminating all wild horses in the Salt Wells Creek and Divide Basin Herd Management Areas (HMAs) and sterilizing all horses in the White Mountain HMA.

In October of 2021, The Cloud Foundation released a national opinion poll, which was conducted online by The Harris Poll. The poll found that more than 2 in 3 Americans (69%) oppose removing all wild horses from 1.5 million acres of public lands in southern Wyoming to accommodate the oil/gas and livestock industries.  Yet sadly, in 2024, BLM’s goal to destroy wild herds to accommodate commercial livestock interests continues.

How do they get away with this? It’s disgusting that commercial interests seem to continually prevail over the will of the people. The biased and inhumane treatment of our wild herds is unforgivable. But we are more fortunate than most people in the world — we have our voice. We know that when Americans act en masse, government will listen.

So, here is OUR call to action: show up and speak up! Will you join us?

Please take a moment to join The Cloud Foundation in opposing this ill-conceived plan by signing our petition. Then, please share this alert with friends and family.

Thank you for ALL that you do — because together we will make a difference!

The deadline for public comments: January 17, 2024

For those who would like to submit your own comments, you may do so by visiting the BLM Rock Springs RMP Revision Eplanning page and selecting the “participate now” button. If needed, you may use the talking points included in the above petition for ideas to help craft your personal comments.

The Cloud Foundation
www.thecloudfoundation.org

*Featured/Spotlights

BLM Proposes Massive Burro Roundup + New Cattle Grazing

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is proposing a MASSIVE roundup of burros in Arizona’s Three River Complex, which includes the Alamo, Big Sandy, and Havasu Herd Management Areas (HMAs). BLM plans to round up 1,794 of the estimated 2,259 burros living in the area, leaving behind just 465 burros. Livestock grazing in the Big Sandy HMA is equivalent to 1,000 year-round cows; BLM only allows 139 burros to live in that same area.

America’s wild burros face a genetic crisis due to BLM’s mismanagement of these hardy little animals. The agency keeps most burro populations so small that inbreeding is inevitable.

BLM plans this massive burro roundup while at the same time the agency proposes ADDING COWS to graze in the same area! After nearly 30 years of no livestock grazing in the Alamo HMA, BLM wants to add cows despite claiming the HMA is over-grazed. This is CRAZY.

BLM’s unscientific “Appropriate” Management Level (AML) is a rigged system where any animal over BLM’s arbitrary quota is considered “overpopulation.” The only way to address this is to reduce livestock grazing and increase the number of burros allowed on the range.

Please take action NOW by signing our two petitions here and here, which call on BLM to ditch the massive roundup and reject the proposal to add new livestock grazing in the Alamo HMA.

The Cloud Foundation
www.thecloudfoundation.org

*Featured/Spotlights

Idaho’s Few Remaining Wild Horses Are under Attack

A curious Sands Basin HMA stallion watches our friends from Save Our Wild Horses.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Idaho (Owyhee Field Office) plans to reduce wild horse numbers in the Black Mountain, Hardtrigger, and Sands Basin Herd Management Areas to low numbers of just 30 horses in the Black Mountain HMA, 33 horses in the Sands Basin HMA, and 66 horses in the Hardtrigger HMA.

This disastrous plan creates a scenario in which inbreeding among the wild horses is inevitable — daughters with fathers, brothers with sisters, and mothers with sons. This effectively destroys their ability to survive. Inbreeding results in an increase of the offspring being affected by recessive traits such as blindness, deafness, a breakdown of natural immunities, and physical deformities.

BLM’s response is to bring in a few horses from other HMAs to address genetic problems. The practice of introducing new horses diminishes the unique qualities present in these herds — for better or for worse — and speaks to BLM creating a problem (lack of genetic viability) that they will have to continuously – and retroactively – fix.

BLM also plans to use Gonacon as fertility control on mares returned to the range. Studies show that Gonacon is likely permanent after just two applications. It effectively destroys the ovaries and therefore natural hormone production that drives natural, wild behaviors.

WE CANNOT GIVE UP ON THESE HORSES.  Fighting for needed change is the least we can do for these precious animals. Will you please join us?

Please take a stand today — it takes less than a minute to submit your comments to BLM to state your opposition to this ill-conceived proposal.

TIPS on How to Comment: We have provided talking points for you to use. You can leave them as written if you like. However, we encourage you to edit the suggested comments to reflect your unique thoughts and perspectives.

If you would like to research this Environmental Assessment a bit further, you may find it (and supporting documents) here: EplanningUi (blm.gov).

For a LIVE tutorial — Join our friends with Save Our Wild Horses on Thursday, June 8th, at 7 pm EST.

They will have a 1-hour, 2-part Zoom:

Part 1 – Journalist Vickery Eckhoff presents: Speaking Truth to Power: The Media, BLM, & You

Part 2 addresses how to submit Public Comments on the Owyhee Field Office Herd Management’s proposed plan for the Idaho wild horse herds.

To register for this Zoom meeting, please email Heather Hellyer (Save Our Wild Horses) at kaya97524@yahoo.com.

The Cloud Foundation
www.thecloudfoundation.org

*Featured/Spotlights

Help Preserve the Pryor Wild Horses

Red Wolf and his mother, Feldspar, graze near the top of the PMWHR.

Comments are due on the Pryor Wild Horse Environmental Assessment (EA) on April 28th. If you haven’t done so, please take a moment to protect the Pryor Mustangs. Feel free to invite friends to do the same.

To comment, just click here. It will take you to the comments page where you may customize any of the suggested comments before submitting.

Speak up now to preserve the well-balanced Pryor range management that has existed for decades. In this EA, BLM wants to take a cookie-cutter approach that would disregard the unique qualities of this special herd. Also, among the proposed alternative plans:

  • genetics may no longer be a criterion for management actions
  • the already low AML may be further reduced
  • alternate fertility controls never before used in the Pryors — that destroy the natural wild behaviors — may be used on our beloved herd

You may reference the EA documents here: EplanningUi (blm.gov).

Please let the Bureau of Land Management know how much this herd means to all of us. Submit your comments on the proposed management plan that will govern the future of these horses for years to come.

We thank you for caring about these magnificent animals and for your support in keeping them WILD and FREE — you are sincerely appreciated.

The Cloud Foundation
www.thecloudfoundation.org

*Featured/Spotlights

Urge BLM to Preserve ALL Wild Horses in Clan Alpine HMA

The Bureau of Land Management rounded up a record number of wild horses and burros in 2022 — more than 20,000 precious animals. This is happening thanks to Congress giving record-breaking increased funding for roundups and fertility control methods that destroy who these horses really are and their natural behaviors. Sadly, the agency is hellbent on removing another 20,000 this year too.

We KNOW how frustrating and heartbreaking this is. It’s infuriating our government caters to a small special interest group – public land ranchers – for the management of OUR public lands. It’s shameful that our government refuses to use science to manage our country’s resources and instead continues the good ol’ boy status quo.

But giving up is not an option. We CAN change things — but only if we persist in our efforts. Most social change comes far too slowly; those brave souls who continue the fight and refuse to accept defeat are the ones who prevail in the end.

Your voice makes a difference.  Please submit your comments directly to the BLM.

The Cloud Foundation
www.thecloudfoundation.org