The incident began on July 23. Gather stats through August 9:
- Target: Horses and burros
- Type: Planned
- Method: Helicopter
- Category: Cruel and costly
- Horses captured: 2,109, up from 1,837 on Day 16
- Burros captured: 38, no change from Day 16
- Average daily take: 117.2 horses, 2.1 burros
- Capture goal: 1,978 horses, 339 burros, horses increased to 2,106 on Day 17
- Removal goal: 1,868 horses, 339 burros, horses increased to 1,996 on Day 17
- Horses returned: None
- Burros returned: None
- Horse deaths: 28, up from 23 on Day 16
- Burro deaths: None
- Horses shipped: 1,905, up from 1,657 on Day 16
- Burros shipped: 38, no change from Day 16
The figures above are based on the daily reports. They may differ from the totals at the gather page.
No burros have been taken since Day 8.
The gather and removal targets changed on August 8 as noted above.
One burro and 22 horses have been returned to the HMA but this was not documented in the daily reports.
Three horses were euthanized on Day 18 due to pre-existing conditions and two foals died in temporary holding, causes unknown.
The horse death rate is 1.3%.
The horse total includes 817 stallions, 942 mares and 350 foals.
Youngsters represented 16.6% of the horses captured.
Of the adults, 46.4% were male and 53.6% were female.
The herd can’t be growing at a rate of 20% per year with a birth rate of 17% per year.
A better estimate would be 12% per year, assuming a death rate of 5% per year.
Body condition scores on Days 17 and 18 ranged from 4 to 5.
The trap is in the North Twin Peaks Home Range.
The HMA is subject to permitted grazing.
Day 18 ended with 176 unaccounted-for horses and no unaccounted-for burros.
The horse capture goal has been reached but the burro goal is only 11% achieved.
Mares treated with fertility control will be returned to the area at a later date.
Other statistics:
- AML: 758 horses and 116 burros, equivalent to 816 horses
- Forage assigned to horses and burros: 9,792 AUMs per year
- Pre-gather population: 3,316 horses and 401 burros, equivalent to 3,516 horses
- Forage liberated to date: 25,536 AUMs per year
- Water liberated to date: 21,280 gallons per day
- Forage assigned to livestock: 27,178 AUMs per year (estimated)
- Animals displaced from HMA by permitted grazing: 2,264 horses
- True AML: 3,022 horses and 116 burros, equivalent to 3,080 horses
- Stocking rate at new AML: 4.1 horses per thousand acres
- Horses displaced from HMA by drilling and mining: Ask the advocates
RELATED: Twin Peaks Roundup, Day 16.
Western Horse Watchers Association 