June Email update
Dear Friends of Cloud, his family and herd;
This is the most important letter I have ever written you in our fight to preserve Cloud’s herd in the Pryor Mountains. The wild horses need your help.
The BLM has issued the Draft Herd Management Area Plan (HMAP) and the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) calling for a drastic reduction in the herd to numbers that would render them at unsustainable levels. The plans calls for just 90-120 adult horses one year and older to remain in their homeland.
vThe HMAP, if adopted, will dictate the management of the wild horses for a minimum of 5-10 years. The last HMAP amendment was signed in 1992. In reality, this current plan could be in effect for 20 years or more. By that time the Pryor horses as we know them will be just a memory.
Removals of wild horses will concentrate on these groups in rank order:
1. Wild horses of any age that don’t look Spanish.
2. Wild horses that are no longer reproducing that have already contributed to the gene pool by successfully reproducing. Ironically, infertility drugs continue to be administered to older mares to keep them from reproducing. The BLM reason given for infertility application on these mares was to increase their life span. Now, BLM is saying there are “too many old horses” and they must go. (Click here for a photo gallery of some of the wonderful older wild horses falling in this category.)
3. Wild horses under five years old.
4. Wild horses older than 11 years. (Cloud and Velvet and most of the band stallions and lead mares fall in this category.)
5. Horses between 5-10 years of age.
This list includes every wild horse currently living on the Pryors. All are potential targets for removal.
The BLM removals disregard the social structure and stability of the families on the mountain. Any horse could be removed regardless of the key roles they play as band stallions or lead mares. Most of these leaders have reproduced and are over 10 years of age, making then prime targets for removal.
Why such a drastic plan? BLM claims that portions of the range are in a declining condition. They rely on two studies for this claim: the NRCS study conducted 2001-2002 during the worst drought in many decades; and a BLM assessment conducted in 2007. However, no raw data has been made available from the 2007 assessment to the public. And so, the public must take BLM conclusions at face value with no proof of current declining range conditions.
It is hard to believe the BLM assessment considering the current conditions in Southern Montana and Northern Wyoming. I have never seen it greener. Long time local residents tell us that it has not looked as beautiful in decades. Many told us they have never seen the range looking this great. (click here for key talking points in your letter to BLM.)
Now is the time to unite and speak out loud and clear on behalf of these beautiful animals and their spectacular homeland. We will not allow the BLM to ravage the herd as they have others in the West. Please tell all your friends to help us. Send this to your address book. Not just horse fans or Cloud fans but all people who value freedom and beauty should be concerned with this cruel and destructive plan.
Send your comments to the following. The deadline for comments is July 11th:
MT_WildHorse@blm.gov
The subject line must contain “Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range/Territory Preliminary Environmental Assessment and Draft HMAP”
You can mail your comments to:
Jared Bybee,
State Wild Horse and Burro Specialist
BLM-Billings Field Office,
5001 Southgate Drive
Billings, MT 59101
Call the Montana U.S. Senators TODAY. Calls are by far the most important way to influence them. Then write and email. But, please call. Ask your friends and family to do the same. These are toll free numbers to the Senators:
MT-U.S. Senator Max Baucus (http://baucus.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm)
511 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington DC, 20510
1-800-332-6106
Mt-U.S. Senator Jon Tester (http://tester.senate.gov/Contact/)
204 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington DC, 20510
1-866-554-4403 Ask to speak with either Tracy Stone Manning or Bill Lombardi
BLM Director Jim Caswell (James_Caswell@blm.gov)
Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne (webteam@ios.doi.gov)
Executive Secretariat
MS 7229
1849 C Street
NW Washington DC 20240
202-208-3100
Many of us know these animals as individuals with lives and families. Their fate hangs by a thread at this moment in time. Please do everything you can to protest.
Happy trails,
Ginger Kathrens
Volunteer Executive Director
The Cloud Foundation
PS: Cloud has a new grandson who looks very much like him and we named him “Cloud’s Image”- he is a doll. Will he live in freedom? Perhaps, because of his unique color, but who knows? There are 20 other darling foals atop the mountain, including Firestorm’s new filly and Bolder’s first foal (both Cloud grand-daughters). Flint also has a beautiful three-year-old grulla mare, Feldspar. To see more, click here.
Click here to sign a petition to save Cloud's herd!
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