BLM to Begin Cedar Mountain Wild Horse Gather, Removal and PZP Treatment
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Salt Lake City, Utah—The Bureau of Land Management Salt Lake Field Office will soon begin gather operations to remove excess wild horses from within and outside the Cedar Mountain Wild Horse Herd Management Area (HMA) in western Utah.
The BLM will gather approximately 600-700 horses. Of those gathered, the BLM will remove approximately 200-300 adoptable aged horses, and approximately 400 horses will be returned back to the HMA. Of the mares released back to the HMA, roughly 200 will be treated with the fertility control vaccine porcine zona pellucida -22 (also known as PZP-22).
The Cedar Mountain HMA is located in Tooele County, Utah approximately 50 miles west of Tooele. The HMA encompasses approximately 197,275 acres, with a current estimated population at 960 wild horses. The Appropriate Management Level (AML) has been established at 190-390 wild horses.
Helicopter drive-trapping operations is tentatively scheduled to begin on Saturday, Feb. 11 pending inclement weather and road conditions. Members of the public are welcome to view the daily gather operations, provided the safety of the animals, staff and observers are not jeopardized and operations are not disrupted.
The BLM will conduct escorted public tours to gather observation sites. Details will be announced daily on the BLM gather hotline: (801) 539-4050.
Those interested in participating should meet at the Flying J gas station located at I-80 Exit 99 at 1605 East Saddleback Blvd in Lake Point, Utah, where tours will depart at 5:30 a.m. MST.
Participants must provide their own transportation, water and food. The BLM recommends footwear and clothing suitable for harsh winter field conditions. Binoculars and four-wheel drive, high clearance vehicles are also strongly recommended. Please note that public restrooms will not be available once the tour begins.
Public lands will remain open unless closures are deemed necessary due to safety concerns. Outdoor recreationists and visitors to the gather area should be aware that there will be low flying helicopters and should avoid recreational use of drones within the Cedar Mountain area. Brief road closures may also be needed to allow movement of horses during gather operations.
Anyone interested can get updates on Twitter by following @BLMUtah or searching #CedarMtnGather.
Animals removed from the range will be made available for adoption through the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Adoption Program. Those that are not adopted will be cared for on off-range pastures, where they retain their protection under the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act.
Details on the DNA, EAs and the gather can be found on the BLM’s planning documents website: http://bit.ly/2kXuUfd . More information on the population control research project is available from the BLM’s Salt Lake Field Office at (801) 977-4300.
To learn more about the wild horse and burro program or to obtain an adoption application, visit the BLM National Wild Horse and Burro website at: http://on.doi.gov/2h11lDS .
For additional information on participating in public observation days, contact Lisa Reid, public affairs specialist, at (435)743-3128 or lreid@blm.gov. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to leave a message or question for Lisa Reid. The FRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Replies are provided during normal business hours.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.