Callaghan Roundup, Day 15

The incident started on July 10. Results through July 24:

Scope: Callaghan, South Shoshone, Bald Mountain, Hickison HMAs
Target: Horses
AML: 552
Pre-gather population: Over 4,500
Type: Planned
Method: Helicopter
Category: Costly and inhumane (according to advocates)
Better way: Mass sterilization with PZP (according to advocates)
Capture goal: 2,000
Removal goal: 2,000
Captured: 1,951, up from 1,866 on Day 13
Shipped: 1,899, up from 1,673 on Day 13
Released: None
Deaths: 10, no change from Day 13
Average daily take: 130.1
Unaccounted-for animals: 42
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

These figures are based on the daily reports. The sidebar says 1,957 horses captured.

The death rate is 0.5%.

The capture total includes 787 stallions, 808 mares and 356 foals. The sidebar says 780, 802 and 375.

Youngsters represented 18.2% of the animals gathered, consistent with a herd growth rate of twelve to thirteen percent per year.

Of the adults, 49.3% were male and 50.7% were female, no indication of an abnormal sex ratio (common wherever the advocates are involved).

Body condition scores on Days 14 and 15 ranged from 3 to 5.

The location of the trap site is not known.

The name of the contractor was not provided.

There are no plans to treat any of the mares with fertility control pesticides and return them to the range, a huge disappointment to the advocates.

The Complex is subject to permitted grazing. Resources liberated to date:

The project area covers 1,145,515 acres.

► Get the truth about wild horses and the wild horse advocates at westernhorsewatchers.com.