Wild Horse and Burro Program Data

The BLM monitors rangeland conditions and wild horse and burro herds to determine the number of animals, including livestock and wildlife, that the land can support. When deteriorating rangeland conditions are determined, the BLM removes excess wild horses and burros from overpopulated Herd Management Areas (HMAs) and restricts livestock grazing to keep animal populations at sustainable levels. Wildfires and severe drought conditions are important factors in the condition of the public rangelands, too.

The excess wild horses and burros removed from the range are offered for adoption to qualified people through the BLM’s Adopt a Wild Horse or Burro Program. After properly caring for a mustang or burro for one year, adopters are eligible to receive title, or ownership, from the Federal government. While the BLM faces a constant challenge in adopting out enough animals to match the number removed annually from the range, the adoption program is a popular one. In fact, the BLM has placed nearly 225,000 wild horses and burros into private care since the adoption program began in 1971. 

Data From the Program

This table contains links to final data relating to population, gathers, adoptions, and Herd Areas (HAs) and HMAs.  Some data are preliminary and subject to revision before the fiscal year ends.

  

Available Data by Fiscal Year
Population1	Completed Gathers	Adoptions by Location and Date	Adoptions and Removals by State Office	HAs and HMAs1
	2012	2012		2012
2011	2011	2011	2011	2011
2010	2010	2010	2010	2010
2009	2009	2009	2009	2009
2008			2008	2008
2007			2007	2007
2006			2006	2006
2005			2005	2005
2004			2004
2003			2003
2002			2002
2001			2001
2000			2000
1999			1999
1998			1998
1997			1997
1996			1996

¹ Data are from the BLM's annual Public Land Statistics. 

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