Who protects wild horses?

Who protects wild horses?

The Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management manages and protects wild horses and burros on 26.9 million acres of public lands across 10 Western states as part of its mission to administer public lands for a variety of uses.

What has the US government done to protect wild horses?

Congress unanimously passed the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, a federal law to protect wild horses and burros from “capture, branding, harassment, and death.” Declared “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West; that they contribute to the diversity of life forms within the Nation and …

Who is responsible for managing wild horses in the US?

The USDA Forest Service
The USDA Forest Service, by authority of the Secretary of Agriculture, is responsible for managing the nation’s wild horses and burros on National Forest System lands. The Forest Service administers 34 active wild horse or burro territories in Arizona, California, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Utah.

Are wild horses protected?

The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act was passed, unanimously, through Congress and signed by former President Nixon on December 15, 1971. It became Public Law 92-195, which protects wild horses and burros within designated territories on both Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands.

Is it illegal to shoot a wild horse?

The act provides specific protections to “all unbranded and unclaimed horses and burros on public lands of the United States,” and makes it a crime for anyone to harass or kill these animals on federal land. The BLM was also permitted to close public land to livestock grazing to protect wild horse and burro habitat.

Why does the government collect wild horses?

The removal of wild horses and burros from public rangelands is carried out to ensure rangeland health, in accordance with land-use plans that are developed in an open, public process.

Are wild horses protected by the federal government?

Broadly, the law declares wild horses and burros to be “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West” and stipulates that the BLM and the U.S. Forest Service have the responsibility to manage and protect herds in their respective jurisdictions within areas where wild horses and burros were found roaming in 1971.

How do we manage wild horses and burros on public lands?

Chairman Lee, Ranking Member Wyden, and members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to discuss the management of wild horses and burros on our Nation’s public lands. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages the public lands for multiple-use and sustained yield, and the Wild Horse and Burro Program is part of that mandate.

Are there wild horses in the United States?

Wild, free-roaming wild horses can be found on public lands across 10 western states. Wild burros roam rangeland in California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Oregon. Find out more about wild horses and burros.

What does the BLM do with wild horses?

To carry out this mission, the BLM controls herd growth through the application of fertility measures, such as birth control, and through the periodic removals of excess animals and the placement of those animals into private care. Wild, free-roaming wild horses can be found on public lands across 10 western states.