Twin Peaks Roundup, Day 9

The incident started on October 1. Results through October 9:

Scope: Twin Peaks HMA
Target: Wild horses
AML: 758 horses (and 116 burros)
Pre-gather population: 1,800 horses (and 140 burros)
True AML: 2,992
Type: Planned
Method: Helicopter
Category: Cruel and costly (according to advocates)
Better way: Snuff out new life with pesticide-laced darts (according to advocates)
Capture goal: 940
Removal goal: 870
Captured: 731, up from 621 on Day 7
Shipped: 688, up from 578 on Day 7
Released: 39, up from 1 on Day 7
Deaths: 4, no change from Day 7
Average daily take: 81.2
Unaccounted-for animals: None
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
Snippet from manual: To protect wild horses and burros from unauthorized capture, branding, harassment or death

The figures above are based on the daily reports.

No horses were caught on Day 9. The trap was moved to Honey Lake, outside the HMA.

The death rate is 0.5%.

The sidebar says one horse released despite the incident on Day 3 when nine fell out of a trailer and the return of 38 stallions on Day 9.

The capture total includes 269 stallions, 327 mares and 135 foals.

Youngsters represented 18.5% of the animals gathered, consistent with a herd growth rate of 13% per year.

Of the adults, 45.1% were male and 54.9% were female, no indication of an abnormal sex ratio.

Body condition scores ranged from 3 to 4 on Day 8.

The number of animals removed depends on the number released. Up to 30 mares will be treated with GonaCon Equine and be returned to the range with up to 42 stallions according to the FY25 schedule.

The roundup supports three tenets of rangeland management. Resources liberated to date: