“Forage use by wild equids remains a small fraction of the total forage use by domestic animals on western public ranges.”
National Academy of Sciences report, 1982, p. 43
BLM DISPROPORTIONATELY ALLOCATES RESOURCES TO LIVESTOCK
Of 245 million acres of public land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), livestock grazing is allowed on 160 million acres, but wild horses and burros are restricted to 26 million acres, which they share with livestock. Within the 11 percent of BLM lands that are designated wild horse and burro areas, BLM sets artificially and arbitrarily low “Appropriate Management Levels” for wild horses and allocates the majority of resources to livestock. Examples:
- Twin Peaks HMA, California (Roundup of 2,000 wild horses completed Fall 2010): 789,852 acres
- Conger Complex, Utah (Roundup of 500 horses completed Fall 2010): 464,650 acres
6 – 11 times more livestock authorized than horses
110 – 195 wild horse AML; 1,170 cattle - Tuscarora Complex, Nevada (Roundup of 1200 horses completed 8/2/10): 454,634 acres
6-10 times more livestock authorized than horses
337-561 AML; 3,288 cattle - Calico Complex Nevada (Roundup of 1,922 horses completed 2/4/10):542,989 acres
2-3 times more livestock authorized than horses
572-952 AML; 1,823 cattle - Stinking Water HMA, Oregon (214 horse roundup completed Fall 2010):85,490 acres
9-18 times more livestock authorized than horses
40 – 80 AML; 705 cattle - West Douglas HA, Colorado (Zeroing out – 103 horse removal pending):123,387 acres
700 times more livestock authorized than horses
0 AML; 706 cattle - Moriah HA, Nevada (Zeroing out – 72 horse removal completed Fall 2010):55,300 acres
300 times more livestock authorized than horses
0 horses; 310 cattle
3-5 times more livestock authorized than horses
448-758 horses & 72-116 burros; 1,873 cattle & 1,957 sheep
*Animal Unit Month (AUM) Allocation expressed in cattle equivalents.1 AUM = 1 horse, 1 cow/calf pair, 2 burros or 5 sheep.