Here on a positive note the results of citizen and advocate engagement. This is one of OUR 4 (5) COLORADO WILD HORSE HERDS: THE SAND WASH BASIN HERD west of Maybell, Colorado. The last roundup was in 2008 and then began an ambitious fertility control program by the HSUS(Humane Society). Also the USGS (US Geological Survey) became involved at one point having assigned some budget for a census of this wild horse group...The study by the HSUS is still forthcoming (5years) and the USGS has not been able to continue the flights so the data is incomplete.
Meanwhile a group of dedicated and multi-talented advocates that combines artists, photographers, writers, filmmakers, all individuals when coming together were able to paint a realistic and correct picture of this herd. Nancy Roberts, who visits and monitors this herd since 2009 and Aleta Wagner who has used her talents to catalogue and chart have come up with this 2011 CLOSING STATEMENT:
Visit: www.sandwashbasinwildhorses.blogspot.com
or go to FB: SandWash Basin Wild Horses
Current count of the Sand Wash Basin Wild Mustangs indicates:
94 Stallions
97 Mares
41 Foals 2011 (approx. 14% reproduction rate - BLM claims over 20)
30 Foals 2010 (still with their band)
34 Foals 2009 (still with their band - (fillies in this group could actually be bred and still in the family)
296 TOTAL NUMBER OF HORSES. The research does not reflect mortality rates, which could be between 4-10 % and would bring the net growth number of the HERD to between 4 and 10%.....
With a size of 160 000acres in the Sand Wash Basin HMA, this allots approx. 540.5 acres per horse.
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| courtesy Aleta Wagner (with Nancy Roberts) |
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| 41 foals 2011, 30 foals 2010, 34 foals 2009 (courtesy Aleta Wagner) |
So far this herd has been claimed by the citizens on our public lands and to conclude with a photo rather than a statistic - here is PICASSO from the Sand Wash Basin Wild Horse Herd in COLORADO
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| Photograph by Nancy Roberts |
This is an excellent refutation of BLM's slanted approach to "managing" the wild horses. Are you driving your points home to insist BLM leave more. And how about decreasing that over 90% grazing allocation to sheep grazers in the Sand Wash wh HMA?!
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