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Wild Horses & Burros
Wild horses and burros are managed in California in accordance with the Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act of 1971. This act gave the Bureau of Land Management the responsibility to protect wild horses and burros while ensuring their populations are managed to maintain or restore a thriving ecological balance. California’s free roaming wild horses and burros range over 7.1 million acres of public land with an additional 2.3 million acres of non-BLM land. When the appropriate management level is reached, California will maintain 1,746 horses and 453 burros. California contains 33 herd areas (HAs) with 22 herd management areas (HMAs). Herd areas are geographic areas where wild horse or burro populations were found at the passage of the Wild Horse and Burro Act in 1971. Herd management areas are areas within the herd areas where it was decided, through land use plans, to manage populations of wild horses and burros. Each herd management area was studied to determine the appropriate management level (AML), taking into consideration other natural resources such as vegetation and wildlife, and other uses such as livestock grazing and recreation. The horse herds in California consist mostly of released Spanish stock and cavalry mounts from World War I. The average California horse is 14 to 16 hands high and weighs 800 to 1100 pounds. Historical data shows that burro herds come from abandoned or escaped mining stock. The wild burros average 11 to 12 hands high and weigh 500 to 600 pounds. When herd sizes exceed the appropriate management level, animals are gathered and offered for adoption. Other factors may come into play when gathers are required, such as drought, lack of forage, public nuisance or wildfires. California is a leader among the Bureau of Land Management’s 12 western states with over 400 animals adopted annually. Satellite adoptions are held throughout California along with adoptions at the states two holding facilities. California is proud to say that we strive to do compliance inspections on all adopted animals. Compliance checks are done by employees and volunteers.
Twin Peaks HMA Gather PlanningCalifornia BLM's Eagle Lake Field Office is planning to gather wild horses and burros in the Twin Peaks HMA near Susanville in the summer or fall of 2010. (Project Map) Currently, the horses and burros are in excess of their appropriate management level (AML). Our estimates of the horses are 2300 head after the 2010 foals are born and 180 burros. The AML for the HMA is 758 horses and 116 burros. We last conducted an aerial census in March 2008. We highly encourage public participation in the planning process. The scoping letter is the first part of the planning process, which notifies the public that the BLM is planning to analyze an action, in this case the gather, under the NEPA process. Directions on submitting comments are included in the scoping letter. The next step involving public input will occur once we finish writing an environmental assessment (EA) to analyze the proposed action and alternatives. We expect the EA will be available for comment in May. Check back here for updates on how you can comment on the EA, if you are interested.
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