A study of the Virginia Range darting program has yielded surprising new findings according to a story dated April 23 by This Is Reno: Herd size goes down when you poison the mares with ovary-killing pesticides.
The low birth rate and high death rate have resulted in negative population growth, providing further evidence of the feasibility of PZP fertility control as a viable alternative to helicopter roundups, according to representatives of the Campaign Against America’s Wild Horses, a leader in nonmotorized removal.
The article did not mention that the herd on Assateague Island continues to shrink eight years after the darting program was shut off, a pattern that will likely unfold on the Virginia Range.
Western Horse Watchers Association 