Piceance Roundup, Day 15

The incident started on August 2.  Results through August 16:

  • Scope: Piceance-East Douglas HMA, West Douglas HA
  • Target: Horses
  • AML: 235
  • Pre-gather population: 1,145
  • Type: Planned
  • Method: Helicopter
  • Category: Cruel and costly (according to advocates)
  • Better way: Snuff out new life with PZP (according to advocates)
  • Capture goal: 1,025
  • Removal goal: 1,011
  • Captured: 680, up from 627 on Day 13
  • Shipped: 586, no change from Day 13
  • Released: None
  • Deaths: 5, no change from Day 13
  • Average daily take: 45.3
  • Unaccounted-for animals: 89
  • 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.

The death rate is 0.7%.

The capture total includes 270 stallions, 278 mares and 132 foals.

Youngsters represented 19.4% of the animals gathered, enough to support a herd growth rate of 14% per year.

Of the adults, 49.3% were male and 50.7% were female, no indication of an abnormal sex ratio.

Body condition scores on Days 14 and 15 ranged from 3 to 4.

The location of the trap site was not disclosed.

The contractor is CD Warner and the contract amount is $679,249, based on a report at USA Spending.

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

  • Forage: 8,160 AUMs per year
  • Water: 6,800 gallons per day

The West Douglas HA is unfit for wild horses, supposedly, and has no AML.

PREVIOUS: Piceance Roundup, Day 13.

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