Native Wild Horses (Photo © Cynthia Smalley, all rights reserved.)
Captured wild horses Nevada Jan 2012 (Photo © Anne Novak, all rights reserved.)
Take action today~
Members of the public are encouraged to fax the BLM head office in Washington DC and request the Nevada helicopter hearing be rescheduled with a 30 day notice given to the public for oral comments. The fax number is: 202-208-5242. They may also email their request to Deputy Director Mike Pool at Mike_Pool@blm.gov .
Meanwhile, the group asks the public to send in their comments about using helicopters and other motorized vehicles in Nevada at roundups and for other wild horse and burro management. They welcome the public to send a copy of their comments to Contact@ProtectMustangs.org so Protect Mustangs can watchdog the process.
Thank you for doing what you can to help save wild horses and burros.
Stallion & Sweaty Mustangs Trapped at Calico Roundup (Photo © Cat Kindsfather)
Hear the report about the Nevada BLM jeopardizing public process, privacy and free speech and the call for the public to weigh in by faxing the BLM in Washington at 202-208-5242 .
The interview aired on KPFA, KPFB Evening News Berkeley, as well as on KFCF Fresno, KPFK Los Angeles, WBAI New York, KPFT Houston, WPFW Washington, DC.
Listen here: http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/81120 at 22:35
Ask your friends to fax in requests for BLM to have a public helicopter hearing in Nevada with 30 days notice.
Thank you for doing what you can to save America’s wild horses and burros.
For immediate release:
California BLM shows transparency—why not Nevada?
Advocates ask BLM Nevada to reschedule their ‘public’ hearing
SAN FRANCISCO, Ca. (June 2, 2012)—Protect Mustangs, the Bay Area-based preservation group, has been in negotiation with BLM California and is happy to announce that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has agreed to postpone the California helicopter and motorized use public hearing to a later date. Using helicopters at wild horse and burro roundups is controversial. Americans nationwide call helicopter roundups cruel.
“We want to thank BLM California for their act of good faith to promote transparency,” says Anne Novak, executive director for Protect Mustangs. “The American public wants to participate but they need 30 days notice in order to make travel arrangements.”
On May 30th the preservation group discovered BLM California’s press release online. With only 4-5 days until the hearing, they contacted BLM and opened up the dialogue requesting the public hearing be postponed and rescheduled.
The Nevada saga
“Even though 80% of America’s indigenous wild horses live on public land in the State of Nevada, they belong to all Americans–from San Francisco to New York City,” explains Novak. “They are icons of freedom and must not be terrorized by helicopters.”
After discovering an unpublicized yet critical hearing, Protect Mustangs requested for Nevada BLM to reschedule their public hearing, for helicopter and motorized vehicle use for roundups and management, because their public notice was too short (5 business days) and basically no one knew about it.
Unlike the California BLM who took proper action to protect public process, the Nevada BLM refused to reschedule the public hearing on helicopters so the public would have adequate notice (30 days) to attend.
On May 29th, in Carson City, Nevada, only 4 people commented in a close to empty hearing room because interested members of the public were not informed. The hearing notice was published online, 5 business days before, in a small town local paper in Mesquite, Nevada–487 miles away.
“BLM Nevada shows the American people they want to avoid engaging public input,” says Kerry Becklund, outreach director for Protect Mustangs. “Hiding public hearings from the public demonstrates a lack of transparency.”
Reno News 4 reported on Wild horse advocates say BLM jeopardized public process.
Invasion of privacy suppresses free speech
In an unsuccessful gesture to placate public outrage, BLM Nevada announced, during the hearing, they would extend the written comment period until June 12th with new comment guidelines.
Protect Mustangs and members of the public oppose BLM’s disclaimer that the agency will not safeguard the personal identifying information PII) BLM requires in order to comment. Clearly this invasion of privacy suppresses free speech. The group is asking for the PII to be minimal and for the BLM to withhold the PII if requested by the commenter.
“One of the gems of America is that the people can participate through public comment and public hearings,” says Novak. “We don’t want people to feel their rights to privacy will be violated if they speak out.”
The group continues negotiations with BLM Nevada, to reschedule the controversial Nevada helicopter hearing so members of the public may attend and give oral comment.
Members of the public are encouraged to fax the BLM head office in Washington DC to request the Nevada helicopter hearing be rescheduled with a 30 day notice given to the public. The fax number is: 202-208-5242. They may also email their request to Deputy Director Mike Pool at Mike_Pool@blm.gov .
Meanwhile, the group asks the public to send in their comments about using helicopters and other motorized vehicles at roundups and for other wild horse and burro management. They welcome the public to send them a copy of their comments to Contact@ProtectMustangs.org so Protect Mustangs can watchdog the process.
# # #
Media Contacts:
Anne Novak, 415-531-8454 Anne@ProtectMustangs.org
Kerry Becklund, 510-502-1913 Kerry@ProtectMustangs.org
Contact Protect Mustangs for interviews, photos or video
Links of interest:
Reno News 4 reported on Wild horse advocates say BLM jeopardized public process: http://www.mynews4.com/news/local/story/Wild-horse-advocates-say-the-BLM-jeopardized/a8kN1TVKZ0WLiaEBaISvDA.cspx
Posted May 21 via Mesquite Citizen Journal BLM Public Hearing Set on Management of Wild Horses and Burros: http://mesquitecitizen.com/viewnews.php?newsid=1994&id=38
May 18th BLM press release on public hearing for helicopters and motorized vehicles: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/may/blm_to_hold_public.html
Letter requesting Nevada BLM give the public 30 days notice for helicopter use hearing http://protectmustangs.org/?p=1409
Protect Mustangs press release: Government transparency and public process jeopardizedhttp://protectmustangs.org/?p=1416
Comment period extended but Nevada public hearing a sham http://protectmustangs.org/?p=1441
BLM press release with comment guidelines requiring personal identifying information that will not be safeguarded:
http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/may/carson_city__blm_nevada.html
Protect Mustangs website: http://protectmustangs.org/
Protect Mustangs is a Bay Area-based preservation group whose mission is to educate the public about the American wild horse, protect and research wild horses on the range and help those who have lost their freedom.
BLM places outrageous conditions on public comment
For immediate release:
WASHINGTON (May 31, 2012)—Protect Mustangs, a Bay Area-based preservation group, asks the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to revise their conditions for receiving written comment that requires personal identifying information that BLM says they can not safeguard. What started as an issue jeopardizing public process for people who want helicopters roundups to stop has mushroomed into a free speech issue for all Americans.
“This in an invasion of privacy—a restriction of our rights of free speech,” states Anne Novak, executive director of Protect Mustangs. “It will stifle public participation.”
Due to the BLM’s lack of public notice for a public hearing, the preservation group released an alert titled: Government transparency and public process jeopardized. They gathered comments requesting the Nevada public hearing be rescheduled with 30 days notice and comments against using helicopters and motorized vehicles for roundups and management. Early Tuesday morning the group sent the comments to the Director of BLM in Washington requesting he intervene and reschedule the public hearing. Wild horse photographer, Cat Kindsfather, hand delivered the comments to BLM officials at the hearing.
As a result of Protect Mustangs’ grassroots efforts and the public rallying for their right to comment, the BLM released the press release announcing they will extend only the written comment period for the use of helicopters and motorized vehicles for roundups and management in Nevada.
BLM also states:
Comments submitted to BLM must include your address, phone number, email, or other personal identifying information in your comment. Please be aware your entire comment–including your personal identifying information–may be made publicly available at any time. While you may request we withhold your personal information from public view, we cannot guarantee we will be able to do so.
The preservation group opposes BLM’s terms for public comment for 2 reasons:
1.) The controversial Nevada public hearing regarding using helicopters and other motorized vehicles for roundups and management, must be held with 30 days notice so the American public may attend and give oral comment as well as written comment.
2.) The BLM must accept written comments and protect personal identifying information if the commenter has requested their information be withheld from public view. Requested personal identifying information should not be excessive.
“Any person who requests that their personal information be safeguarded should have that right to privacy—especially by a government agency,” states Kerry Becklund, director of outreach for Protect Mustangs.
Refusing to keep personal identifying information confidential, stifles the public process because anyone can get a copy of the comments according to BLM protocol. The public wants to know their rights to privacy are ensured.
“Are the BLM’s new written comment conditions intended to suppress public comment?” asks Novak. “It’s a no-brainer that this is going to discourage people. What’s happening to America’s public process and our rights to free speech?”
# # #
Media Contacts:
Anne Novak, 415-531-8454 Anne@ProtectMustangs.org
Kerry Becklund, 510-502-1913 Kerry@ProtectMustangs.org
Contact Protect Mustangs for interviews, photos or video
Links of interest:
Reno NBC affiliate News 4 reports: Wild horse advocates say the BLM jeopardized public process http://www.mynews4.com/news/local/story/Wild-horse-advocates-say-the-BLM-jeopardized/a8kN1TVKZ0WLiaEBaISvDA.cspx
BLM press release with comment guidelines requiring personal identifying information that will not be safeguarded:
http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/may/carson_city__blm_nevada.html
Protect Mustangs press release: Government transparency and public process jeopardizedhttp://protectmustangs.org/?p=1416
Video of helicopter roundup: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_dhnqCijOk&feature=player_embedded
Freedom of speech in the U.S.A: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_speech_in_the_United_States
Protect Mustangs website: http://protectmustangs.org/
Photo © Cynthia Smalley, all rights reserved.
Yesterday we took your comments to the hearing, requesting BLM reschedule the Carson City helicopter hearing with adequate public notice and comments against helicopter roundups, etc. Photographer and honorary board member, Cat Kindsfather, hand delivered them and spoke on behalf of Protect Mustangs as well as the American public.
Kindsfather brought up the fact that people across the country wanted to participate in the public process but there was not enough notice given.
At the meeting, BLM announced they would extend the comment period. Comments can be received no later than June 12, 2012. Only comments sent to the address, email or fax number identified below will be accepted and “considered”.
Comments may be sent by mail or fax:
BLM Carson City District Office
5665 Morgan Mill Road
Carson City, NV 89701
Attn: WHB Motorized Hearing.
FAX: 775-885-6147.
Comments may also be sent by email:
ccfoweb@blm.gov, Attn: WHB Motorized.
Comments submitted to BLM must include your address, phone number, email, or other personal identifying information in your comment.
Please be aware your entire comment–including your personal identifying information–may be made publicly available at any time. While you may request we withhold your personal information from public view, we cannot guarantee we will be able to do so.
Please copy us on all the comments you send the BLM so we can keep a record of the comments received to watchdog this faulty process.
We will send the Carson City District Office all the comments on your behalf that you have sent us after 7 a.m. May 29, 2012 to ensure your comments are received.
We continue to ask for the Carson City hearing to be rescheduled to allow oral comments and for the public to be given 30 days notice for any other BLM public hearings.
Denying the public their right to be present and comment at a public hearing shows the BLM has no intention of engaging the American public nor do they want to be transparent.
The NBC affiliate, KRNV Reno News 4, attended the public hearing and reported on wild horse advocates say BLM jeopardized public process.
Thank you for sending in your comments. Now tell your friends about what is going on and invite them to send in comments against the use of helicopters and motorized vehicles as well.
Stop the Roundups!
Links of interest:
KRNV Reports on wild horse advocates say BLM jeopardized public process. http://www.mynews4.com/news/local/story/Wild-horse-advocates-say-the-BLM-jeopardized/a8kN1TVKZ0WLiaEBaISvDA.cspx
Protect Mustangs news release: Government transparency and public process jeopardized: http://protectmustangs.org/?p=1416
Protect Mustangs letter requesting BLM give the public 30 days notice for helicopter use hearing: http://protectmustangs.org/?p=1409
BLM press release announcing they will extend comments: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/may/carson_city__blm_nevada.html
BLM press release on hearing: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/may/blm_to_hold_public.html
Mustang advocates want 30 days notice for public hearings on use of Helicopters at roundups
for immediate release:
RENO (May 28, 2012)—Protect Mustangs has discovered that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) scheduled an important public hearing for 10 a.m. the morning after Memorial Day weekend without adequately notifying the public. The hearing is scheduled for 10-11 a.m., at the BLM Carson City District Office, 5665 Morgan Mill Road, in Carson City, Nevada. The wild horse preservation group is requesting the BLM reschedule the public hearing—regarding the use of helicopters and other motorized vehicles for roundups and management—in order to give the public at least 30 days notice.
“What happened to government transparency and public process?” asks Anne Novak, executive director of Protect Mustangs. “With 80% of America’s federally protected indigenous wild horses and burros living on public land in Nevada, the whole country should be given adequate notice to participate in person as well as via email. Most members of the public are against helicopter roundups. Is BLM trying to sneak this by without public input?”
On Saturday, the preservation group’s website alerted the public about the hearing, after they saw it posted in the Mesquite News online.”Through our social media channels the public began to hear about the public hearing that no one knew about,” said Novak. “Even horse advocates in Carson City hadn’t heard about the hearing.”
“I live in Carson City and never heard a thing about a public hearing regarding helicopters and motorized vehicles for roundups and management,” says photographer and wild horse advocate Cat Kindsfather. “People would like to come to the hearing from around the country but they need proper notice.”
“I live in the Carson area and just found out about the Helicopter hearing,” says Craig Downer, author and wildlife biologist. “These hearings are mandated by the law so why aren’t we being informed about them?”
“I live in Reno and only heard about the hearing today when a friend called,” says Terri Farley, author and wild horse and burro advocate. “Mustangs are the people’s horses, but BLM’s stealth meetings make it impossible for us to stand up for their welfare.”
Advocates, as well as members of the public nationwide, would like to attend the hearing but they need 30 days notice to make arrangements.
“I live in Oakland, California and I would like to speak against the use of helicopters and motorized vehicles,” says Kerry Becklund, Outreach Director for Protect Mustangs. “But I need to give my day job notice to take a vacation day.”
“I live in Houston, Texas and work overseas,” says R.T. Fitch, volunteer president of Wild Horse Freedom Federation, “Hearing about an important BLM meeting—only a day before it occurs—continues to stack the deck against the horses and burros as our collective voices cannot possibly be present to speak to the issue.”
“I live in Richmond, Virginia and would like to speak at the public hearing against using helicopters but I need adequate notice to make travel plans,” says wild horse advocate Lisa Friday. “30 days notice is standard. Why doesn’t the BLM notify us properly? Is this against the law?”
“I live in New York City and would like to speak at the meeting against helicopter roundups,” says Hope Smith who loves wild horses. “I want to be part of the public process but I need more notice to get out West.”
“I live on 36 acres at the base of the mountains in Arizona and would like to come to the hearing,” says Michael Blake, Academy Award-winner and author of Dances with Wolves. “Helicopter roundups are nothing but incessant warfare against life on earth . . . for money.”
The group is collecting comments against helicopter roundups to take to Tuesday morning’s hearing. Members of the public may email them to Contact@ProtectMustangs.org
In the letter addressed to The BLM, Novak states, “The requirement for the public hearing was set in place to protect the public’s rights to participate in government and this must not be ignored.”
The BLM press release reads:
Before helicopters or motorized vehicles can be used, a public hearing is required in order to comply with Section 404 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act. The BLM proposes to use a helicopter, fixed wing aircraft and other motorized vehicles to estimate population numbers and obtain seasonal distribution information for wild horse and burro herds throughout Nevada. Also proposed is using a helicopter to assist in gathering excess wild horses and burros on gathers and complexes throughout the state during the coming year. The actual number of areas where gathers will be conducted or inventoried will depend on a number of factors including funding.
Members of the public can fax the BLM head office in Washington DC to request the helicopter hearing be rescheduled with a 30 day notice given to the public. The fax number is: 202-208-5242
Controversial helicopter roundups harass and stress wild horses and burros—stampeding them for miles, often resulting in lameness and sometimes in death.
Besides being concerned about animal cruelty at helicopter roundups, Protect Mustangs believes that helicopters flying in the desert for days or weeks emit pollution that harms the environment and contributes to global warming. The group believes motorized vehicles damage the ecosystem—hurting many forms of wildlife, such as sage grouse, and other endangered species on the range as well.
The group opposes the use of helicopter and motorized vehicles (except in a state of emergency or for an accurate population head count—not an estimate.)
“If wild horses and burros are facing a water or food emergency then bring aid out to them, but roundups, they must stop now,” states Novak. “A drought isn’t an excuse for roundups to zero out indigenous wild horses and remove them from their home on public land forever . . .”
# # #
Media contacts:
Anne Novak, 415-531-8454 Anne@ProtectMustangs.org
Kerry Becklund, 510-502-1913 Kerry@ProtectMustangs.org
Contact Protect Mustangs for interviews, photos or video
Protect Mustangs is a Bay Area-based preservation group whose mission is to educate the public about the American wild horse, protect and research wild horses on the range and help those who have lost their freedom.
Links of interest:
BLM press release on public hearing for helicopters and motorized vehicles: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/may/blm_to_hold_public.html
Letter requesting rescheduling helicopter hearing: http://protectmustangs.org/?p=1409
Protect Mustangs alerts public about Tuesday hearing: http://protectmustangs.org/?p=1385
BLM Director’s Office: http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/directory/wo100_dir.html
GAO Report: Aircraft Emissions Expected to Grow, but Technological and Operational Improvements and Government Policies Can Help Control Emissions: http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-09-554
Comments against 3 California Roundups: http://protectmustangs.org/?p=1377
Wild Horses: The Stresses of Captivity https://tuesdayshorse.wordpress.com/2010/04/19/wild-horses-the-stresses-of-captivity/
Anne Novak on Twitter: https://twitter.com/theannenovak
Protect Mustangs on YouTube
Protect Mustangs website: http://www.ProtectMustangs.org
“Like” Protect Mustangs on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ProtectMustangs
To:
Amy Leuders
Nevada State Director
Bureau of Land Management
Dear Ms. Leuders,
Despite our requests to be informed about events and press releases, such as the upcoming public hearing scheduled the morning after Memorial Day Weekend in Carson City—we only heard about it Friday evening from an article posted in the Mesquite News online.
Some other members of the public who would like to comment heard about it through us this weekend on several social media channels and via email.
We are concerned about the agency’s lack of transparency evident in your lack of notification for public hearings regarding the use of helicopters and motor vehicles for potential roundups and management of wild horses.
We found your original press release that was dated Friday, May 18th. It only gives the public one business week’s notice. The press release is inadequate notification for the public and from what we see, only the Mesquite News published it online.
We have heard from several people who live in Carson City who knew nothing about this important hearing—let alone those living in New York City.
Since 80% of the federally protected wild horses and burros remain in Nevada, the whole country should be given ample notice to participate in the public hearing.
We kindly request you hold this important public hearing about the use of helicopters and motorized vehicles for roundups and management of wild horses and burros with a standard 30 days notice once you have published it. Please publicize it well so the public will feel you are being transparent. Right now it looks as if you are not.
We ask you to honor the opinions of the public (stakeholders) and not be swayed by lobbying or big business. We are concerned the BLM sees the public hearing as a legal formality in order to be allowed to go forward with helicopter roundups, etc.
The requirement for the public hearing was set in place to protect the public’s wishes and this must not be ignored.
Thank you for your kind assistance.
Sincerely,
Anne Novak
Links of interest:
Helicopter Use Hearing in Nevada: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/may/blm_to_hold_public.html
Anne Novak
Executive Director
Protect Mustangs
P.O. Box 5661
Berkeley, California 94705
 Roundup helicopter chases fearful wild horses and Old Gold (Photo © Cat Kindsfather, all rights reserved,) The public hearing regarding using helicopters and motorized vehicles for wild horse and burro roundups as well as management is scheduled for Tuesday, May 29, from 10-11 a.m., at the BLM Carson City District Office, 5665 Morgan Mill Road, in Carson City. Comment if you can’t make it With Monday a holiday, we suggest you send your comments, against the use of helicopters and motorized vehicles at roundups, to us at Contact@ProtectMustangs.or Be sure to mention you are against the BLM using helicopter and motorized vehicles (except in emergency situations) because they tally up: who is for helicopters and other motorized vehicles (truck & trailers) and who is against helicopters and other motorized vehicles at roundups as well as for monitoring and management in Nevada for this fiscal year. Let them know the use of helicopters and other motorized vehicles at roundups is inhumane & cruel, causes extreme stress, lameness and even death–euthanized by BLM–after being stampeded and injured, is against the spirit of the 1971 Free-Roaming Wild Horse and Burro Act to stampede them with an aircraft, pollutes and causes global warming, ruins the terrain and crushes native and endangered plants on the range, terrorizes other wildlife causing extreme stress for them also, etc. Mention that using aircrafts for monitoring and for accurate head counts on the range would be acceptable as long as they don’t harass the wild horses and burros or other wildlife and use algae-based fuel to reduce the environmental impacts. You can also tell them that trucking in water and food in a drought emergency would be a valid exception to use motorized vehicles with regards to wild horse and burro management. Thank you for taking the action you can to help save wild horses and burros. We just found out about the hearing from a BLM press release discovered May 25th online via The Mesquite News http://mesquitecitizen.com/viewnews.php?newsid=1994&id=38. Why didn’t the BLM notify the public in a correct manner? Why didn’t they send us a press release despite our requests for press releases and updates regarding wild horses and burros? Why is this scheduled the morning after a three day holiday weekend? BLM press release printed in the Mesquite News: BLM Public Hearing Set on Management of Wild Horses and Burros Posting Date: 05/21/2012
Press Release
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The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will conduct a public hearing to discuss the use of motorized vehicles and aircraft in the monitoring and management of wild horses or burros on public lands in Nevada. The hearing is scheduled Tuesday, May 29, from 10-11 a.m., at the BLM Carson City District Office, 5665 Morgan Mill Road, in Carson City, Nev. The purpose of the hearing is to receive information and public comment on the use of helicopters and fixed wing aircraft to inventory wild horse or burro populations and the use of helicopters to gather and remove excess animals. The hearing will also consider the use of motorized vehicles to transport gathered wild horses or burros as well as to conduct field monitoring activities. Before helicopters or motorized vehicles can be used, a public hearing is required in order to comply with Section 404 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act. The BLM proposes to use a helicopter, fixed wing aircraft and other motorized vehicles to estimate population numbers and obtain seasonal distribution information for wild horse and burro herds throughout Nevada. Also proposed is using a helicopter to assist in gathering excess wild horses and burros on gathers and complexes throughout the state during the coming year. The actual number of areas where gathers will be conducted or inventoried will depend on a number of factors including funding. For more information, contact John Axtell at (775) 885-6000. original BLM press release: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/may/blm_to_hold_public.html |
——– Original Message ——–
Subject: Cancel Buckhorn, Coppersmith and Carter Roundups
From: <anne@protectmustangs.org>
Date: Thu, May 24, 2012 11:58 pm
To: CBCwildhorses@blm.gov
Dear Sirs,
We respectfully ask you to cancel the three proposed wild horse and burro roundups (Buckhorn, Coppersmith and Carter Reservoir) on the northern California-Nevada border because there is no proof that the indigenous wild horses are ruining the thriving natural ecological balance. There is no exact head count and therefore no “excess” wild horses.
We don’t like the BLM wasting taxpayer dollars on animal cruelty, nor for the government to spend money on environmental assessments for roundups when, according to the PEER report, the livestock is causing range damage.
We believe the government should not remove native wild horses to warehouse each horse or foal at a cost of $1.30 a day ($39 a month) when livestock grazing permittees pay only $1.35 a cow/calf pair per month to graze on public land.
We would like to ask you to bring the mustangs and burros water or feed if they are at risk but leave them ALL on the Herd Management Areas (HMAs).
If there is a range damage issue then take ALL the livestock off and kindly ask the permittees to put them elsewhere.
Removing wild horses puts them at a high-risk of being sold and going to slaughter after only 3 adoption attempts. Also, if they are over 10 years old they can be sold without limitation according to BLM regulations. Selling native wild horses who end up butchered for human consumption in foreign countries is morally wrong and goes against the spirit of the 1971 Free-Roaming Wild Horse and Burro Act.
We document wild horses and burros in their HMAs, write about them and enjoy taking photos of them. Our work is shared with the global public. If you roundup the wild horses and burros it will negatively affect our work.
Removing the wild horses and burros will affect the genetic viability of the herds and the normal herd dynamics will be ruined forever.
Skewing the sex ratios is cruel and causes extreme stress on the mares and ruins the natural family dynamics of these indigenous animals.
At the last National Academy of Science public meeting it was proven that mountain lions are hunting a lot of foals and are managing the population as nature intended so drugs such as PZP, ZonaStat-H, SpayVac, GonaCon, and other forms of contraception or sterilization are probably not necessary.
We all know darting isn’t going to work–the roundups will continue in order to give wild horses and burros contraceptives.
How much money has been spent on fertility control research in the past fiscal year? And in the past 40 years how much money was spent on this research?
And how many wild horses and burros are really out there?
Do you have photos and videos to prove too many wild horses and burros are out there causing damage?
How many heads of livestock are using or will use the very same HMAs?
What “multiple use” does BLM serve on the Buckhorn, Coppersmith and Carter Reservoir HMAs? Who is getting permits for these HMA’s? Please provide information about lease sales, energy development, water rights and grazing issues for the three HMA’s.
These animals are being managed to extinction. Cancel the roundups! We don’t have many wild horses and burros left in California.
Please respond to our questions in writing without delay. Thank you for your kind assistance.
Sincerely,
Anne Novak
Links of interest:
Indigenous wild horses: http://protectmustangs.org/?page_id=562
The PEER Report on Grazing Allotments Failing Rangeland Health Standards: http://protectmustangs.org/?p=1243
AWHPC reports on the final NAS public meeting: http://www.wildhorsepreservation.org/news/2012/05/21/eyewitness-report-national-academy-of-sciences-wild-horse-and-burro-review-commitee-fourth-public-meeting/
6 Wild Horses Sold by U.S. End Up at Slaughterhouse: http://articles.latimes.com/2005/apr/22/nation/na-horses22
BLM Scoping Notice for 3 California-Nevada roundups: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/04/NC1256_whbscoping.html
Anne Novak
Executive Director
Protect Mustangs
P.O. Box 5661
Berkeley, California 94705
Tel./Text: 415.531.8454
Twitter @ProtectMustangs
Protect Mustangs on YouTube
Protect Mustangs in the News
Donate to the outreach fund
Protect Mustangs is a Bay Area-based preservation group whose mission is to educate the public about the American wild horse, protect and research wild horses on the range and help those who have lost their freedom.