I reside in #Colorado, and have been photographing the wild #herds that roam the state's #PublicLands for a few years now. In 2021, I became heavily invested in this issue when I got word in that my local herd in #SandWashBasin was going to be rounded up. To me, it felt personal – I had to do something.
The Bureau of Land Management (#BLM) is continuing to remove #Nevada 's wild horse herds from their legally mandated habitat, and the death toll is rising nearly every day.
Since the #roundup in the #AntelopeComplex began on July 9th, 11 #WildHorses have lost their lives – including five #foals who died from various preventable issues and four #horses who suffered broken necks.
We're calling on the #WhiteHouse and #Congress to take action to put an end to the suffering our wild herds endure during these brutal #helicopter#roundups. Right now, the House and #Senate are in the process of markups for the #Interior budget bill that will impact #WildHorses and #burros – meaning time is of the essence to enact the changes needed to protect and preserve these national icons.
The #BLM has captured 916 #horses so far, and over two thousand more are in danger as the agency plans to continue its #roundups in the #AntelopeComplex.
Within the 1.1 million acres that make up the #AntelopeComplex in #Nevada lives a herd of beautiful strong #WildHorses. — But for the past few years, the herd has been targeted by #helicopters.
When the helicopters descended on the herd in 2021, the horses ran as fast as they could away from its deafening roar. After over an hour of running, they were exhausted — especially the foals and the helicopters were funneling them into a trap.
During this government #roundup on this habitat 11 wild horses, including four babies, died at the #trap, not even making it into the holding pens.
The next series of roundups start tomorrow. The #AmericanWildHorseCampaign (#AWHC) are working hard to stop these brutal helicopter operations from being used against wild herds.
The #Wildhorses and #Burros#roundups are happening because powerful #ranching private interest groups have #lobbied for roundup and removals in #Washington for decades.