Dec. 2021 - 44

Unmanaged feral horse grazing can have negative impacts on wildlife populations and rangeland health, and also can be harmful to the horses. (Photo by Kim Olson/WGFD)
While the public and interest groups express concerns
about the removal of horses, there is seldom discussion
about the likelihood that horses can die from starvation,
lack of water and exposure when their numbers exceed
the carrying capacity of the area.
private owners; and euthanasia of old, ailing and
unadoptable animals.
Management involving euthanasia, and sometimes
roundups, often face legal challenges and are
severely restricted by public opinion. However, while
the public and interest groups express concerns about
the removal of horses, there is seldom discussion
about the likelihood that horses can die from starvation,
lack of water and exposure when their numbers
exceed the carrying capacity of the area. And, there
is even less public attention to the ways horses and
wildlife compete for the same limited resources.
G&F: HORSES NEED
MANAGEMENT
The literature on unmanaged feral horse grazing
shows feral horses can have substantial negative
impacts on native wildlife populations and rangeland
44 | December 2021
health. More attention should be given to the management
of feral horses in Wyoming and the legal
mandates that require an appropriate number of
feral horses on the state's rangelands.
" We feel strongly that feral horses need to be
managed and managed to levels prescribed in management
plans that were developed through biological
and habitat capacity analyses, " Brimeyer said.
Attempts for the BLM to make steps toward managing
populations are continually roadblocked, both
financially and logistically. How to manage horses is a
contentious topic, with pressure from special interest
groups with extremely divergent opinions. Even with
additional funding, more aggressive management
actions - such as major removals - are continually
challenged by public opinion and lawsuits.
Game and Fish remains committed to supporting
reduction efforts and encouraging the BLM to
direct more resources towards removing enough
feral horses each year to conserve the desert habitat
in southwest Wyoming. As the 2021 fall/winter
round-up proceeds, Game and Fish is encouraged
by the progress BLM has made to reach the goal of
gathering 4,300 feral horses from Wyoming. Applying
appropriate management actions is an issue that
broad stakeholder groups - feral horse advocates,
wildlife advocates and ranchers - should support
to ensure healthy rangelands for feral horses, wildlife
and livestock.
- John Kennedy is the deputy director of internal operations
for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

Dec. 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Dec. 2021

Dec. 2021 - 1
Dec. 2021 - 2
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https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2025
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2025
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/wyoming-wildlife-may-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2024-e-edition
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2023
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https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-iak-special-issue
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https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/December2020
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