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LAS VEGAS – On or around December 18, 2021, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Southern Nevada District, Pahrump Field Office, will begin a wild horse and burro gather on the Nevada Wild Horse Range Herd Management Area located about 30 miles southeast of Tonopah in Nye County, Nevada. The BLM plans to gather approximately 648 wild horses and 100 burros, and remove approximately 438 excess wild horses and 100 excess wild burros. In addition, the BLM plans to treat approximately 150 mares with Gonacon and release them, along with up to 60 studs, back on to the range. The BLM will conduct gather operations using the helicopter-assisted method.

The Nevada Wild Horse Range Herd Management Area encompasses over 1.3 million acres of public lands and lies entirely inside the Nevada Test and Training Range. The Appropriate Management Level for the Nevada Wild Horse Range Herd Management Area is 300-500 wild horses and zero wild burros. As of March 1, 2021, the estimated population was 736 wild horses and 95 wild burros, which does not include the foals born this year. The current population estimate, including the 2021 foal crop, puts the Herd Management Area at approximately 162 percent over Appropriate Management Level. The most recent gather was completed in 2020.

The purpose of the gather is to prevent undue or unnecessary degradation of the public lands associated with excess wild horses, to restore a thriving natural ecological balance and multiple-use relationship on public lands, consistent with the provisions of Section 1333(b) of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. By balancing herd size with what the land can support, the Southern Nevada District Office aims to address resources issues related to drought and extremely limited water sources, and protect habitat for other wildlife species. Removing excess animals will enable significant progress toward achieving the Standards for Rangeland Health.

The BLM’s priority is to conduct safe, efficient, and successful wild horse gather operations while ensuring humane care and treatment of all animals gathered. The BLM and its contractors will use the best available science and handling practices for wild horses and burros while meeting overall gather goals and objectives in accordance with the Comprehensive Animal Welfare Policy.

“The BLM is committed to conducting safe and humane gather operations as we work to save animal lives by reducing overpopulation and bringing herd size more in line with what the resources of the area can support,” said Nicholas Pay, Pahrump Field Manager.

All excess wild horses identified for removal will be transported to the Palomino Valley Off-Range Wild Horse and Burro Corrals, located north of Reno, Nevada. All excess wild burros removed will be transported to the Axtell, Utah BLM Off-Range Wild Horse and Burro Corrals, located in Axtell Utah, where they will be checked by a veterinarian and readied for the BLM’s wild horse and burro Adoption and Sale Program. For information on how to adopt or purchase a wild horse or burro, visit www.blm.gov/whb.

The Nevada Wild Horse Range is entirely inside the Nevada Test and Training Range; therefore, only essential gather operations personnel will be allowed at the trap site during gather operations.

The BLM is conducting the gather under DOI-BLM-NV-S030-2020-0003-EA Nevada Wild Horse Range Herd Management Area Wild Horse Gather Plan signed in November of 2020. Access to the Decision Record is available at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/1504061/510.

Gather reports and additional information for the FY2022 Nevada Wild Horse Range Herd Management Area Wild Horse and Burro Gather will be posted on the BLM website at https://www.blm.gov/programs/wild-horse-and-burro/herd-management/gathers-and-removals/nevada-southern-nevada-do/FY2022-NWHR. For technical information, contact Tabitha Romero, Wild Horse and Burro Specialist at tromero@blm.gov.