News.bytes Extra, issue 425

 Eighteen wild horses and burros find new homes at Los Banos event

Eighteen wild horses and burros went to new homes with residents of the Los Banos area Saturday at the Bureau of Land Management’s adoption event. (text continues below)

Volunteer David Miller and his mustang, Rusty, are interviewed by Charles Guest from the Los Banos Enterprise at the adoption.

Eleven horses and seven burros were adopted during the event at the Against the Crooked Sky Horse Stables.

Wild horses and burros are protected by a federal law, the Wild and Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act.  The law recognizes the animals as "living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the west," and requires the BLM to manage the wild herds.

The BLM periodically gathers horses and burros to control herd populations on ranges shared with wildlife and domestic livestock.  Herd sizes are controlled to ensure there is sufficient feed and water for all range users and to ensure that natural resources are not over-used.

Potential adopters inspect a pen of burros.

Amy Torres, Caley Torres and Stephanie Simmons gave the full spa treatment to the mustang, Blue, of BLM Wrangler Pat Cannon, with braided mane and tail, and Pat's name.

 
Everybody loves a mustang.

There are about 37,000 wild horses and burros roaming on public rangelands in the western states.  Almost 225,000 animals have been placed in private care since the BLM’s Adopt-a-Horse-or-Burro Program began in the early 1970s.

For additional information, contact the BLM toll free at 1-866-4MUSTANGS.   Information is also available online at www.wildhorseandburro.blm.gov.

- D. Christy, BLM Central California District, 3/23/10

BLM-California News.bytes, issue 425