BLM resumes collaring effort with the University of Wyoming to study wild horse movement in the Adobe Town Herd Management Area
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RAWLINS, Wyo. - The Bureau of Land Management will reinitiate a wild horse collaring operation within the Adobe Town Herd Management Area as part of collaboration with the University of Wyoming to study wild horses.
The collaring operation is part of a study to explore the movement and habitat selection of wild horses in ATHMA. The research will involve using GPS collars on up to 30 mares to learn more about seasonal use, migration patterns, and herd movements in the area. No horses will be removed from the range as part of this effort.
The BLM began the effort last winter using bait trapping to first gather the mares before collaring them. Fourteen mares were collared before the effort was ended due to unfavorable weather conditions. Five of the original GPS collars placed on mares last winter had to be removed. Three of those collars would not transmit a GPS signal and two collars were removed because they appeared to be too loose, which could have developed into a problem for the mares.
The renewed collaring effort will occur in conjunction with the already scheduled Appropriate Management Level horse gather for the Adobe Town HMA and will use helicopters to gather the horses. During this gather, the BLM will replace the five collars that were dropped due to malfunctions and collar an additional 16 mares bringing the total number of collared horses to 30 mares.
The University of Wyoming requested this action to study how the wild horses in ATHMA interact with their surrounding environment. It will also provide BLM with new information so there are healthy wild horses living on healthy rangelands.
Members of the public are welcome to view the daily gather operations, provided that doing so does not jeopardize the safety of the animals, staff and observers, or disrupt gather operations.
The BLM will escort the public to gather observation sites located on public lands. The gather and collaring effort in the ATHMA is anticipated to begin on or around October 6. Those interested in participating must notify Tony Brown at 307-352-0215, agbrown@blm.gov. Participants will meet at the BLM Rock Springs Field Office at 280 Highway 191 North.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.