U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORBUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
 
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Monte Cristo Complex Wild Horse Gather Gets Underway

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Battle Mountain and Ely field offices are scheduled to begin gathering and removing wild horses from the Monte Cristo Complex on January 6. The Complex is located in the southwestern portion of White Pine County and extreme northeast portion of Nye County.

The Monte Cristo Complex is comprised of the BLM-administered Monte Cristo, Sand Springs East, and Sand Springs West Herd Management Areas (HMAs); and the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Ely Ranger District-administered Monte Cristo Wild Horse Territory (WHT).

The BLM and Forest Service anticipate gathering about 840 wild horses during the approximately 20-day gather period. About 700 head will be removed during this gather as the BLM strives to achieve an appropriate management level of about 285 on the range.

The purpose of the gather is to maintain a thriving natural ecological balance among wild horse populations, wildlife, livestock, and vegetation, to improve watershed health, make "significant progress towards achievement" of Northeastern and Mojave-Southern Great Basin Resource Advisory Council standards for rangeland health, and to protect the range from the deterioration associated with overpopulation of wild horses. The gather will also serve to collect information on herd characteristics and determine herd health.

Most of the gathered horses will be transported to the National Wild Horse and Burro Center in Palomino Valley, near Reno, Nev., to be prepared for adoption through the BLM’s Adopt-a-Horse-or-Burro Program. To learn more about the program or to obtain an application, call toll-free (866) 4-MUSTANGS or visit the BLM Wild Horse and Burro website. Potential adopters can also call the National Wild Horse and Burro Center, in Palomino Valley, at (775) 475-2222.

 
Last updated: 03-03-2007