Program Data
The Bureau of Land Management manages, protects, and controls wild horses and burros under the authority of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act (as amended by Congress in 1976, 1978, 1996, and 2004). This law authorizes the BLM to remove excess wild horses and burros from the range to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands. The BLM also manages the nation’s public lands for multiple uses, in accordance with the 1976 Federal Land Policy and Management Act. The Bureau manages wild horses and burros as part of this multiple-use mandate.
Below are key statistics related to the Wild Horse and Burro Program. More complete information, including historical figures, can be found as part of annual Public Lands Statistics reported by the BLM. In addition, information on how the Bureau estimates the on-range wild horse and burro population on BLM-managed lands can be found on our Science and Research page.
Download the Wild Horse and Burro Program Infographic
At a glance
Fiscal Year 2023
Nationwide population estimate: 82,883 wild horses and burros, as of March 1, 2023
Download the full 2023 population estimate data set
Fiscal Year 2022
Download the FY2022 Wild Horse and Burro Program Highlights Fact Sheet
Nationwide population estimate: 82,384 wild horses and burros, as of March 1, 2022
Download the full 2022 population estimate data set
Total removed: 20,193
Total placed into private care (adoptions, sales, transfers): 7,793
Total fertility control treatments: 1,622
Total expenditures: $138.462 million
Fiscal Year 2021
Download the FY2021 Wild Horse and Burro Program Highlights Fact Sheet
Nationwide population estimate: 86,189 wild horses and burros, as of March 1, 2021
Download the full 2021 population estimate data set
Total removed: 13,666
Total placed into private care: 8,637
Total fertility control treatments: 1,160
Total expenditures: $112.273 million
- Population Estimates
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The BLM conducts routine population surveys to estimate the number of wild horses and burros roaming BLM-managed lands in the West. To support healthy conditions on public lands, the BLM determines what it calls the Appropriate Management Level (AML), which is the number of wild horses and burros that can thrive in balance with other public land resources and uses. Wild horses and burros that exceed AML are to be removed from the range, in accordance with the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, as amended. The most recent population estimates as of March 1, 2023 are provided below.
State Horses Burros Total Max. AML Arizona 465 6,205 6,670 1,676 California 4,007 3,013 7,020 2,200 Colorado 1,527 0 1,527 827 Idaho 651 0 651 617 Montana 205 0 205 120 Nevada 44,786 4,482 49,268 12,811 New Mexico 385 0 385 83 Oregon 4,519 54 4,573 2,700 Utah 3,555 201 3,756 1,956 Wyoming 8,828 0 8,828 3,795 Total 68,928 13,955 82,883 26,785
For further details on BLM population estimates, download the complete 2023 HA and HMA Dataset (pdf).
- Fertility Control Treatments
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Where practical and effective, the BLM applies safe and approved fertility control treatments to wild horses and burros living on public lands as a way to slow herd growth and reduce the need for removing excess animals. In many herds where wild horses are approachable, BLM gets valuable help from volunteers who devote many hours to identifying animals and delivering vaccines by dart. Unfortunately, delivering any vaccine via dart is not a viable option for most wild horse herds because the animals tend to avoid human contact and the vast sizes of most herd management areas make it difficult to locate and approach individual horses. Animals in more remote herds where darting is impractical are first gathered, treated and then released back to their home range.
As more wild horse and burro herds approach appropriate management levels, the BLM intends to increase fertility control treatments to help maintain herds at the target size.
Fiscal Year PZP PZP-22 GonaCon IUD Total 2022 530 475 586 31 1,622 2021 673 155 324 8 1,160 2020 563 31 141 735 2019 549 59 52 660 2018 580 110 12 702 2017 422 355 777 2016 334 118 15 467 2015 286 183 469 2014 319 65 384 2013 199 310 509 2012 162 883 1,045 Learn more about the BLM's fertility control and science and research programs.
- Removals
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Wild horses and burros have virtually no natural predators and their herd sizes can double about every four years. As a result, the BLM removes thousands of animals from the range each year as part of its efforts to control herd sizes.
Fiscal Year Horses Burros Total 2022 16,971 3,222 20,193 2021 11,748 1,918 13,666 2020 9,181 1,643 10,824 2019 6,126 1,853* 7,979 2018 9,749 1,723 11,472 2017 3,735 474 4,209 2016 2,899 421 3,320 2015 3,093 726 3,819 2014 1,689 168 1,857 2013 4,064 112 4,176 2012 7,242 1,013 8,255 *Includes 2 mules
- Adoptions
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The BLM offers wild horses and burros that were removed from the range for adoption into private care. Since 1971, the BLM has adopted out more than 270,000 wild horses and burros nationwide. Potential adopters can attend an off-site adoption event, visit a BLM adoption center, or participate in an Online Corral Adoption event. For general questions on adopting a wild horse or burro, visit the Frequently Asked Questions page.
Fiscal Year Horses Burros Total 2022 5,515 1,154 6,669 2021 5,698 1,671 7,369 2020 3,311 1,430 4,741 2019 3,774 1,356 5,130 2018 2,459 699 3,158 2017 2,905 612 3,517 2016 2,440 472 2,912 2015 2,331 300 2,631 2014 1,789 346 2,135 2013 2,033 278 2,311 2012 2,232 351 2,583 - Sales
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In 2004, Congress amended the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act (the so-called "Burns Amendment") to direct the BLM to sell certain wild horses and burros "without limitation" to any willing buyers animals that are either more than 10 years old or have been passed over for adoption at least three times. It has been and remains the policy of the BLM to NOT sell or send any wild horses or burros to slaughterhouses or to "kill buyers." Learn more about the Sales Program.
Fiscal Year Horses Burros Total 2022 608 490 1,098 2021 717 542 1,259 2020 1,093 326 1,419 2019 1,531 429 1,960 2018 1,201 250 1,451 2017 518 64 582 2016 179 32 211 2015 88 180 268 2014 23 64 87 2013 22 43 65 2012 320 82 402 - Transfers
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Since 2017, Congress has provided authority to the BLM in its annual appropriations bills to transfer excess wild horses and burros to other government agencies for use as "work animals."
Fiscal Year Horses Burros Total 2022 20 6 26 2021 9 0 9 2020 3 0 3 2019 7 0 7 - Animals Trained
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In an effort to place more animals into private care, the BLM partners with non-profit organizations, volunteers, and state and county prisons to train wild horses and burros prior to being placed into a good home. Trained animals tend to have a higher rate of adoption by the public than untrained.
Fiscal Year Horses Burros Total 2022 1,682 378 2,060 2021 1,973 756 2,729 2020 2019 936 515 1,451 2018 1,096 383 1,479 2017 1,430* 324 1,754 2016 1,001 224 1,225 2015 1,020 79 1,099 2014 652 108 760 2013 481 16 497 2012 656 11 667 *Includes one mule
- Off-Range Holding
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All off-range (unadopted or unsold) wild horses and burros, like those roaming Western public rangelands, are protected by the BLM under the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, as amended. These off-range horses and burros are fed and cared for in either off-range corrals or pastures. The BLM maintains a monthly holding facilities report, which can be found by clicking on the Public Lands Stats tab below. Access the most recent FY2023 monthly facility report. The total capacity of all BLM off-range holding facilities is 82,567 animals.
Data below is current as of August, 2023.
Facility Type Horses Burros Total Off-Range Corrals 16,145 1,964 18,109 Off-Range Pastures 40,126 0 40,126 Public Off-Range Pastures 1,234 0 1,234 Total Off-Range Population 57,505 1,964 59,469 - Program Expenditures
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FY2022
Budget Category Dollars (in millions) % of Expenditures Appropriations $137.093 n/a Total Expenditures* $138.462 n/a Off-Range Holding Costs $83.438 60% Gathers and Removals $12.186 9% Adoptions $12.308 9% Other Activities (monitoring, etc.) $30.530 22% FY2021
Budget Category Dollars (in millions) % of Expenditures Appropriations $115.745 n/a Total Expenditures* $112.273 n/a Off-Range Holding Costs $72.359 64% Gathers and Removals $4.587 4% Adoptions $14.231 13% Other Activities (monitoring, etc.) $21.096 19% FY2020
Budget Category Dollars (in millions) % of Expenditures Appropriations $101.555 n/a Total Expenditures* $91.191 n/a Off-Range Holding Costs $56.978 62% Gathers and Removals $7.043 8% Adoptions $9.807 11% Other Activities (monitoring, etc.) $17.364 19% FY2019
Budget Category Dollars (in millions) % of Expenditures Appropriations $80.555 n/a Total Expenditures* $85.549 n/a Off-Range Holding Costs $57.648 67% Gathers and Removals $3.695 4% Adoptions $8.163 10% Other Activities (monitoring, etc.) $16.043 19% FY2018
Budget Category Dollars (in millions) % of Expenditures Appropriations $75 n/a Total Expenditures* $81.226 n/a Off-Range Holding Costs $49.812 61% Gathers and Removals $6.195 8% Adoptions $8.255 10% Other Activities (monitoring, etc.) $16.922 21% FY2017
Budget Category Dollars (in millions) % of Expenditures Appropriations $80.555 n/a Total Expenditures* $82.567 n/a Off-Range Holding Costs $48.627 59% Gathers and Removals $4.216 5% Adoptions $7.913 10% Other Activities (monitoring, etc.) $21.329 26% FY2016
Budget Category Dollars (in millions) % of Expenditures Appropriations $80.555 n/a Total Expenditures* $78.298 n/a Off-Range Holding Costs $49.428 63.1% Gathers and Removals $3.061 3.9% Adoptions $7.375 9.4% Other Activities (monitoring, etc.) $18.434 23.5% FY2015
Budget Category Dollars (in millions) % of Expenditures Appropriations $77.245 n/a Total Expenditures* $75.174 n/a Off-Range Holding Costs $49.382 65.7% Gathers and Removals $1.834 2.4% Adoptions $6.314 8.4% Other Activities (monitoring, etc.) $17.645 23.5% FY2014
Budget Category Dollars (in millions) % of Expenditures Appropriations $77.245 n/a Total Expenditures* $67.9 n/a Off-Range Holding Costs $43.235 63% Gathers and Removals $1.2 2% Adoptions $4.6 7% Other Activities (monitoring, etc.) $18.865 27% FY2013
Budget Category Dollars (in millions) % of Expenditures Appropriations $71.836 n/a Total Expenditures* $76.1 n/a Off-Range Holding Costs $46.165 61% Gathers and Removals $4.8 6% Adoptions $7.5 10% Other Activities (monitoring, etc.) $17.035 22% FY2012
Budget Category Dollars (in millions) % of Expenditures Appropriations $74.888 n/a Total Expenditures* $72.4 n/a Off-Range Holding Costs $42.955 59% Gathers and Removals $7.8 11% Adoptions $7.1 10% Other Activities (monitoring, etc.) $14.545 20% * Expenditures include funding sources from multiple program areas related to wild horse and burro management.
- Historical Data
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Historical Program Data and Public Lands Statistics
This table contains links to data related to on-range population of wild horses and burros, adoptions and removals by fiscal year. Some data are preliminary and subject to revision before the end of the fiscal year. Download prior year wild horse and burro accomplishments fact sheets: FY2018, FY2019 and FY2021.
Population Completed Gathers Adoptions, Sales and Removals by State Office HAs and HMAs Data Off-Range Monthly Facility Reports 2022 - not available yet 2022 2022 - not available yet 2022 2022 2021 2021 2022 2021 2021 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2018 2018 2018 2018 2018 2017 2017 2017 2017 2017 2016 2016 2016 2016 2016 2015 2015 2015 2015 2015 2014 2014 2014 2014 2014 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 1996-2012 2009-2012 1996-2012 2005-2012 2011-2012
