Wyoming Ranch Selected As Wild Horse Eco-Sanctuary

Wyoming Ranch Selected As Wild Horse Eco-Sanctuary

Susan Allen
Susan Allen

 

I’m Susan Allen, reporting from Cashmere WA. After garnering  proposals from private individuals and groups interested in turning their property into wild horse and burro sanctuaries, a Wyoming Ranch is slated to be the first selected. Stay tuned for Open Range. On February 24th  the BLM announced that a 4000 acre private ranch in Wyoming would be the first they would partner with to create an eco- sanctuary for 250 wild horses. Interesting while it seems the equine species can survive just about anywhere,  the BLM is required to complete a full ecological study under the National Environmental Police Act to determine if the ranch can sustain the horses. 4000 acres, 250 horses? If they pass the BLM would then sponsor the sanctuary by providing funds to the ranch owner comparable to what they currently are paying other ranchers that house wild  horses. BLM director Bob Abbey called the eco- sanctuary  “ a milestone in the agency’s  efforts to reform the Wild Horse and Burro program and make it more cost effective. In other developments the BLM is soliciting bids for new pasture facilities that provide a free-roaming environment. They are looking for operations that could accommodate 400 to 2000 wild horses. The bidding requirements are on line at the BLM site, applications are open through April 10th.  There are more than 45,000 wild horses and burros currently in corrals or long term pastures protected by the BLM under the 1971 wild horse law thus it would be comparable to  winning the lottery to be one of the 250  horses selected for the new Wyoming sanctuary.
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