The incident started on October 2. Results through October 14:
- FY: 2027
- Scope: Sulphur HMA
- Target: Horses
- AML: 250
- Pre-gather population: 560
- Type: Planned
- Contractor: Cattoor
- Contract amount: $287,650
- Unit cost: $959
- Method: Helicopter
- Category: Cruel and costly (according to advocates)
- Better way: Stop genetic mixing with PZP (according to advocates)
- Capture goal: 300
- Removal goal: 300
- Captured: 228, up from 196 on Day 11
- Shipped: 193, no change from Day 11
- Released: None
- Deaths: 2, no change from Day 11
- Average daily take: 17.5
- Unaccounted-for animals: 33
- 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 gather stats say 194 shipped.
The helicopter did not fly on Day 12 due to bad weather.
The death rate is 0.9%.
The capture total includes 65 stallions, 116 mares and 47 foals.
Youngsters represented 20.6% of the animals gathered, enough to support a herd growth rate of 15% per year.
Of the adults, 35.9% were male and 64.1% were female. These numbers don’t look like they came from a population that’s 50% male / 50% female.
Body condition scores were not given.
The location of the trap site was not disclosed.
There are no plans to treat any of the mares with fertility control and return them to the range, which would prolong the genetic bottleneck created by the roundup.
The HMA is subject to permitted grazing. Resources liberated to date:
- Forage: 2,736 AUMs per year
- Water: 2,280 gallons per day
Public lands within two miles of active trapping locations and temporary holding facilities are closed to the public, with the exception of observers escorted by BLM staff.
PREVIOUS: Sulphur Roundup, Day 11.
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