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RIDGECREST, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management Ridgecrest Regional Wild Horse and Burro Corrals invites the public to an open house Wild Horse and Burro adoption and sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Friday, April 26. There will be 300 horses and burros available for adoption, and many of the animals at the corrals qualify for the BLM’s new Adoption Incentive Program (AIP).

The AIP program is part of the BLM’s efforts to confront a growing over-population of wild horses and burros on fragile rangelands and in off-range holding facilities, which cost taxpayers nearly $50 million every year to maintain.

“This is a great opportunity to bring the family out for a day-trip, see the wild horses and burros, which are often curious to check out visitors, learn about the BLM’s AIP program and determine if you could bring home your own loyal animal,” says BLM Ridgecrest Regional Wild Horse and Burro Corrals Manager Grant Lockie.

The open house will feature gelded wild horses of all ages, mostly gathered from the Nevada Wild Horse Range Herd Management Area and Wheeler Pass Joint Management Area. The Nevada Wild Horse Range (NWHR) is contained within the north central portion of the Nellis Air Force Range (NAFR).

The NAFR is located in south-central Nevada in Clark, Lincoln and Nye counties.  The Wheeler Pass JMA is made up of the Spring Mountain Wild Horse and Burro Territory (WHBT), located on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest’s Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, and Wheeler Pass Herd Management Area (HMA), located on the Southern Nevada BLM District.

Due to foaling season, most of the mares at the Ridgecrest Corrals will not be available until they have completed foaling and their foals have been weaned.  There will be yearling fillies available from the NWHR as well as a few mares from the Triple B HMA, which is located about 30 miles northwest of Ely, Nevada, in White Pine County.

Burros available for adoption and sale were mostly gathered from the Havasu HMA, which is located south of Lake Havasu City along the Colorado and Bill Williams rivers. The HMA includes land on both sides of the Colorado River. The HMA is adjacent to the Chemehuevi HMA Area in California. There are 22 wild horse and burro herd management areas in California.

Animals are available on a first-come, first-serve basis for either the $25 adoption fee or the $25 direct sale fee.  However, under the AIP, qualified adopters can receive up to $1,000 when adopting an eligible wild horse or burro:

• $500 within 60 days of adoption of an untrained wild horse and burro,
• $500 within 60 days of titling the animal.

The incentive is available for all untrained animals that are eligible for adoption, including animals at BLM facilities, off-site events and on the online corral. A $25 fee applies at the time of adoption.

The public is encouraged to bring a pair of binoculars or a spotting scope to better see the available animals.  Due to the current staffing level of the Ridgecrest corrals, the public will not be escorted out to the individual pens for a closer look. There is a dirt road around the outside of the corrals that potential adopters can access to view the animals with their binoculars or spotting scope.  The public is also encouraged to bring a few carrots to help bring the animals closer.

The Ridgecrest Regional Wild Horse and Burro Corrals, located at 3647-A Randsburg Wash Road, Ridgecrest, support wild horse and burro management for the three-state region of California, Nevada and Arizona. Animals gathered from the range receive veterinary care at the facility, including vaccinations, deworming, Coggins test and a freezemark.

To find out more information about the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program, or to download an adoption or sale application, visit https://www.blm.gov/programs/wild-horse-and-burro/adoption-and-sales/how-to-adopt. For more information regarding the Ridgecrest Regional Wild Horse and Burro Corrals, call 760-384-5765.