Wild Horse and Burro

As part of the Bureau of Land Management’s commitment to the health and safety of the wild horses and burros under our management, agency personnel and contractors take extra caution when handling animals, including during helicopter-assisted gather operations. The proof can be found by just looking at the numbers. 

Recently, the BLM implemented changes to the AIP to enhance existing protections for adopted wild horses and burros.

The 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act directs the Bureau of Land Management (and U.S. Forest Service) to manage and protect wild horses and burros on public lands where they existed at the time the Act was passed. The Act also directs that wild horses and burros are to be managed at appropriate levels to support a thriving natural ecological balance and multiple-use relationship on public lands.  

This year, the Bureau of Land Management commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971. The Act, which provided wild horses and burros on Federal lands with legally protected status for the first time, placed them under the stewardship of the BLM and the U.S. Forest Service. The legislation inspired broad support from the American people who recognized the enduring legacy of the animals.

Nicole Melton knows what a good horse is worth. As a third-generation hunting guide with her family-owned Bighorn Outfitters, she uses horses and mules on a daily basis to transport hunters, fishers and adventure-seeking pack trips through the awe-inspiring ruggedness that is Idaho’s River of No Return Wilderness.