The Campaign Against America’s Wild Horses, a leader in nonmotorized removal, reported today that 189 mares received 192 doses of PZP during the month, 41 given as a primer and 151 as a booster.
Over the life of the program, which began in 2019, the advocates have pumped 9,332 doses of the pesticide into 2,030 mares, for an average of 4.6 doses per mare.
Since the beginning of the year, 119 foals have been born and 16 died.
The current population is thought to be 3,502, with 310 horses listed as missing, compared to 3,519 with 370 listed as missing in April.
The population was 3,480 with 353 horses listed as missing in March and 3,444 with 338 listed as missing in February.
The agreement with NDA was extended for a sixth year effective May 1 but it has not been posted to the darting resources page.
The goal for June is to shrink the herd by maximizing booster treatments to prevent pregnancies (and praying for the older horses to die).
Not discussed:
- Long-term population goal
- Number of viable mares
- Size of breeding population
- Loss of genetic diversity
- Changes in death rate and sex ratio
- Unlawful use of pesticides
PZP tricks the immune system into destroying the ovaries.
After five years of treatment, the birth rate will no longer be able to keep up with the death rate and the herd will slide into irreversible decline.
The report will be submitted to the Nevada Department of Agriculture.
RELATED: Virginia Range Darting Update for April 2024.
Western Horse Watchers Association 