The incident began on July 9. Results through July 31:
- Scope: Spruce-Pequop, Goshute, Antelope Valley HMAs
- Purpose: Pest control, resource enforcement, rancher protection
- Target: Horses
- Type: Planned
- Method: Helicopter
- Category: Cruel and costly*
- Better way: Poison mares with ovary-killing pesticides*
- Captured: 1,201, up from 1,019 on Day 21
- Average daily take: 52.2
- Capture goal: 2,000
- Removal goal: 2,000
- Returned: 2, no change from Day 21
- Deaths: 17, up from 15 on Day 21
- Shipped: 1,126, up from 844 on Day 21
The figures above are based on the daily reports, not the totals posted by the BLM.
Data quality is poor. Accuracy went south on Days 16 and 17.
The number of horses captured is 1,207 and the number shipped is 1,128 according to the figures in the sidebar.
A colt was put down on Day 22 due to torticollis (wry neck).
A mare was euthanized on Day 23 due to a broken neck.
The death rate is 1.4%.
The capture total includes 469 stallions, 549 mares and 183 foals.
Youngsters represented 15.2% of the animals gathered.
Of the adults, 46.1% were male and 53.9% were female.
A 15% birth rate corresponds to a growth rate of 10% per year, a bit less than the 20% growth rate used by land managers to predict herd sizes and management actions.
Body condition scores on Days 22 and 23 ranged from 3 to 4.
The location of the trap site was not disclosed.
The HMAs and surrounding lands are subject to permitted grazing.
*According to advocates.
Day 23 ended with 56 unaccounted-for animals.
Other statistics:
- Forage liberated to date: 14,388 AUMs per year
- Water liberated to date: 11,990 gallons per day
- Forage assigned to livestock: Unknown
- Horses displaced from area by permitted grazing: Unknown
- True AML: Unknown
- Stocking rate at new AML: Unknown
- Horses removed because of drilling and mining: Ask the advocates
Overpopulation means more horses than allowed by plan, not necessarily more horses than the land can support.
Western Horse Watchers Association 