Bible Springs Roundup, Day 9

The incident began on August 7.  Gather stats through August 15:

• Target: Horses
• Type: Planned
• Method: Helicopter
• Category: Cruel and costly
• Captured: 224, up from 184 on Day 7
• Average daily take: 24.9
• Capture goal: 450
• Removal goal: 410
• Returned: None
• Deaths: 1, no change from Day 7
• Shipped: 153, up from 110 on Day 7

The figures above are based on the daily reports, not the totals posted by the BLM.

The death rate is 0.4%.

The capture total includes 71 stallions, 105 mares and 48 foals.

Youngsters represented 21.4% of the animals gathered.

Of the adults, 40.3% were male and 59.7% were female.

A birth rate of 21% is consistent with a growth rate of 16% per year, assuming a death rate of 5% per year.  Land managers often use 20% per year to predict herd sizes and justify resource enforcement actions.

Body condition scores were not given.

The location of the trap was not disclosed.

The Complex and surrounding lands are subject to permitted grazing.

Day 9 ended with 70 unaccounted-for animals.

Mares treated with fertility control would be returned to the area at a later date.

Other statistics:

• Horses allowed by plan (AML): 170
• Forage assigned to horses: 2,040 AUMs per year
• Pre-gather population: 831
• Forage liberated to date: 2,688 AUMs per year
• Water liberated to date: 2,240 gallons per day
• Forage assigned to livestock: 9,890 AUMs per year (estimated)
• Horses displaced from Complex by permitted grazing: 817
• True AML: 987
• Stocking rate at new AML: 4.6 horses per thousand acres
• Horses displaced from Complex by drilling and mining: Ask the advocates

RELATED: Bible Springs Roundup, Day 7.