Melissa Freeman, apologies, that was meant for the web monitor.

Web monitor, sometimes foals are left behind at the roundup (Sand Wash Basin roundup was one occurrence of this). They were at risk of death due to no milk or safety.
With respect, may I mention the links between Tom Davis (Davis?) and Salazar,BLM and others. Finally, there is no clear transparency about long term pastures as far as I know. Thank you.

Mr Williams pzp darting on the range is effective done correctly. When it’s not done correctly, it doesn’t work well. Like a lot of things. The Virginia Range project is a great example of pzp darting on the range working well, despite a few hitches when for a few years the project looked as if it might have to be stopped. Technology, drones and so on can now help with pzp darting. The fact you say it’s proved useless equates to an apparent lack of comprehension, rather than it actually being, useless.

As you likely know, the National Academy of Sciences (2013) referred to pzp to be used in wild horse management, if needs be. Allusions to pseudo science are simply a disarming tactic from yourself.

And yes, livestock are worse by far. If you take the trouble to look at BLM own data, it shows that horses make barely any negative impact compared to livestock (cattle and sheep). If livestock are doing the damage, they should be removed first.

Your mention of wild horses chasing away other animals. It’s not something wild horses do all the time, as perhaps you’re aware. There are many instances of wild horses sharing water sources with other animals, large and small. Like any animal, they will protect a resource whilst they are there is there it is dwindling. But they don’t stay there all the time anyway.

Finally your mention of horses doing damage.
Wild horses don’t spend their day like cattle. They don’t hang around, especially after cattle have defecated in the ponds. They don’t like dirty water if they can avoid it. They move around a lot, they cover up to 20 miles in a day. Cattle stay around riparian areas. They seldome move away from the water and thus ruin the area.

Ted, I was referring to the web monitors note – not your comment – apparently I didnt make that clear. And I heard back from him also & we corresponded.

Maggie: I am not able to “delete” a comment. If one of your comments was deleted by my editor, it was because you posted demonstrably false information. Feral horses are not equipped to prosper in the wild. Many are diseased. Many sustain life-degrading injuries and birth defects. Because they are domestic livestock most lead miserable lives. BLM euthanizes only feral horses that are suffering and moribund. You should salute the agency for this kindness. Herewith, BLM’s specifications for feral-horse euthanasia:

1. Sickness, failing health, or an infirmity, disease, injury, lameness, or serious physical condition or defect that has a poor prognosis for improvement or chance of recovery. This includes conditions that are not treatable or when treatment is impractical for a wild horse or burro in its present setting.
2. A Henneke body condition score of less than three with a poor prognosis for improvement.
3. Old age characterized by physical deterioration, the inability to fend for itself, suffering or closeness to death.
4. Direction from a state or federal animal health official ordering the euthanasia of the animal as a disease control measure.
5. The animal exhibits dangerous characteristics beyond those inherently associated with the wild characteristics of wild horses and burros.
6. The animal poses a public safety hazard (e.g., loose on a busy highway), has escaped from a facility or pasture or is otherwise roaming freely in an unauthorized area and an alternative remedy (capture, relocation or return to a herd management area (HMA), pasture or facility) is not immediately available.

Frankly, deleting a comment because you disagree? Wasnt the purpose of this article to create a little controversy?
Speaking of research – check out the actual roundups & the BLM’s list of “euthanized” horses at these roundups – many because the BLM considers blindness, old age, clubfeet, all issues that these animals survived in the wild, but issues this agency considers a reason to euthanize. This is NOT per advocates – its the BLM’s own end of roundup report. And of course not ALL foals are run down & roped, but the ones who cant keep up & become separated which does happen, get roped & brought back to the corrals – hopefully to be put back with the mares, rather than leaving them alone with no mothers & no band. It happens.
I get that your mind is set – period. This is very clear.

There are no “wild mustangs.” There are only feral, domestic horses. And while they don’t rule the whole range, they rule some of it, enough to nuke wildlife habitat. You have documented my point that the first thing out of feral-horse lovers’ mouths when confronted with facts they don’t want to know is “what about cattle.” What aboutism doesn’t address the real damage done to wildlife habitat by feral horses. The claim that helicopters cause feral horses to break legs is as bogus as the claim that feral horses are “native.” Also bogus is the claim that feral horses are sold and slaughtered, though this would turn a pest into a resource. I have attended helicopter gathers, and the feral horses trot or walk into the corral and immediately begin feeding.