BLM Completes Wild Horse Gather in Nevada’s Elko and White Pine Counties
The recent efforts by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to manage wild horse populations in Nevada have concluded successfully. The operation aimed at controlling the wild horse population in Elko and White Pine counties, situated approximately 60 miles north of Ely, came to an end on December 4, 2024.
During the initiative, the BLM successfully gathered 2,196 wild horses from the designated public lands. Among these, 23 mares were treated with GonaCon-Equine, a vaccine aimed at population control. These treated mares, along with 16 stallions, were reintroduced into the wild to maintain ecological balance within the area.
The primary objective of this gather was to address the overpopulation issue of wild horses within and around the designated Complex. The region has been struggling with inadequate water and forage resources, making it unsustainable for the current number of horses. This initiative was crucial to prevent the degradation of public lands and to restore ecological balance.
Robbie McAboy, Ely District Manager, emphasized the importance of the gather, stating, “The gather was crucial to ensuring public land health, as well as the health of the horses. Both continue to be at risk due to herd overpopulation.”
Conducted in accordance with Section 1333(b) of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, the gather plays a significant role in meeting the Rangeland Health Standards set by the Northeastern Great Basin Resource Advisory Council. By aligning the herd size with the land’s capacity, the BLM also aims to safeguard the habitat for other species such as sage grouse, pronghorn antelope, and mule deer.
Following their removal, the wild horses were transported to the Palomino Valley Center Wild Horse and Burro Corrals in Sparks, Nevada, and the Indian Lakes Off-Range Wild Horse and Burro Corral in Fallon, Nevada. Here, they will be prepared for the BLM’s Adoption and Sale Program. Horses that remain unadopted or unsold will be placed in long-term pastures, where they will continue to be cared for humanely while retaining their “wild” status as per the 1971 legislation.
For more detailed information on the gather, visit the BLM website at this link.
Read More Here
