Comment on Pryor EA: fertility control adjustments & 20-animal removal

Cloud's Pride, a rare buckskin.

Cloud's Pride, a rare buckskin.

Dear Wild Horse Advocates:

We need your help! As you may have heard, the BLM is proposing a tiered removal of 20 horses on the Pryor Mountains, including one of only two buckskins on the PMWHR. This proposal would remove horses from a population already in decline. Cloud's Pride, the last offspring of Cloud, is on Tier 1 for removal in this proposal. 

This is where you come in. The public comment period is open until Friday, February 16. Please submit comments in your own words on this removal and fertility control plan.

SUGGESTED POINTS TO MAKE:

  • The mortality rate in 2017 was twice that of the birthrate. The population is already declining.
  • Only remove the range’s two inbred young stallions, Parry & Oak, and potentially up to five others including Renegade who has already been removed.
  • In the 2009 PMWHR Herd Management Area Plan, it states that this office will “Manage to maintain rare or unusual (for the Pryors) colors in order to prevent any one color becoming dominant or being eliminated.” The current tiered removal system does not take these rare colors into account.
  • The current tiered removal system does not take into account the patrilineal genetic line, only the matrilineal. We feel to adequately protect rare genetic lines on this range, the patrilineal line must be considered.
  • Equine geneticist Dr. Gus Cothran stated in 2013: “The best way to maintain current [genetic variability] levels would be to increase population size if range conditions allow” in reference to the PMWHR.
  • Focus efforts on range improvements which would allow for an increase in the AML (weed control, reseeding, enhancement of forest health).
  • Altering the current PZP protocols, as outlined in this EA, would allow for young mares to reverse sooner. TCF supports this change.
  • We support the use of bait trapping over helicopter roundups for any removals.

TO SEND YOUR COMMENTS:

As always, be respectful in your comments. You can read more about the proposal here: https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/eplanning/projectSummary.do?methodName=renderDefaultProjectSummary&projectId=89925

Please reach out to us if you have any questions. Thank you for your support of the Pryor Mountain wild horses, and all our wild horses and burros!

Happy Trails, 

 

Ginger Kathrens
Executive Director

Kayah Swanson