Blue Wing Roundup, Day 23

The incident started on July 8. Results through July 30:

Scope: Blue Wing Complex
Target: Horses and burros
AML: 555 horses and 90 burros
Pre-gather population: 1,912 horses and 476 burros
Type: Planned
Method: Helicopter
Category: Cruel and costly (according to advocates)
Better way: Snuff out new life with PZP (according to advocates)
Goals
- Horses: Gather 1,373 and remove 1,333
- Burros: Gather 356 and remove 356
Captured
- Horses: 1,261, up from 1,173 on Day 21
- Burros: 360, no change from Day 21
Shipped
- Horses: 1,185, up from 1,113 on Day 21
- Burros: 353, no change from Day 21
Released
- Horses: 3, no change from Day 21
- Burros: None
Deaths
- Horses: 31, up from 26 on Day 21
- Burros: 8, no change from Day 21
Average daily take
- Horses: 54.8
- Burros: 15.7
Unaccounted-for animals
- Horses: 42
- Burros: -1
Snippet from statute: It is the policy of Congress that wild free-roaming horses and burros shall be protected from capture, branding, harassment, or death

The figures above are based on the daily reports.

Horses

Three stallions and two mares were dispatched on Day 22 for conditions that made them unadoptable, not unable to survive in the wild, bringing the death rate to 2.5%.

The capture total includes 516 stallions, 526 mares and 219 foals.

Youngsters represented 17.4% of the animals gathered, consistent with a herd growth rate of 12% per year.

Of the adults, 49.5% were male and 50.5% were female, results that could be produced by a random process centered at 50% males / 50% females.

Body condition scores were not given.

Burros

The capture goal has been reached.

More burros were processed than caught, throwing the numbers out of balance.

Captured – Shipped – Released – Dead = 360 – 353 – 0 – 8 = -1

The death rate is 2.2%.

The capture total includes 186 jacks, 152 jennies and 22 foals.

Youngsters represented 6.1% of the animals gathered.

Of the adults, 55% were male and 45% were female.