Bureau of Land Management Again Releases Fraudulent Population Statistics for Wild Horses and Burros Without Using Science or Evidence and the U.S. Office of the Inspector General Refuses to Investigate

Kathleen Gregg and Michele Anderson, Environmental Researchers

Photo by Leslie Sterling

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently posted their annual Wild Horse and Burro Herd Statistics. As in previous years, BLM’s report is full of false and biologically impossible population growth data. BLM’s fraudulent population statistics impact wild horse and burro herds by triggering unwarranted and excessive roundups due to over-inflating the populations. 

Why is it important to expose this fraud? Because BLM uses the fraudulent population statistics to convince Congress and the public that an overpopulation crisis of wild horses and burros exists. Given the “crisis,” the BLM then requests millions of dollars in funding to capture and remove thousands of wild horses and burros from their legal range or, alternatively, to sterilize them. The fraudulent population statistics reflect BLM’s corruption yet, the agency has continually lacked oversite as if it were supplying true data. The following charts and data show that their population statistics were released without evidence of science and is false and biologically impossible.

Here are several charts of the fraudulent population statistics that BLM reported for the reporting-year beginning March 1, 2022, and ending February 29, 2023:

CHOKE CHERRY Herd Management Area (HMA) BLM shows a 388% increase in ONE year which would require the herd of 34 horses produce 132 successful foals in one year which would necessitate that every single horse – including the stallions – have more than three surviving foals in one year. Biologically impossible

KINGTOP Herd Management Area (HMA) BLM shows a 233% increase in ONE year which would require the herd of 3 horses produce 7 successful foals in one year which would necessitate that every single horse – including the stallions – have more than two surviving foals in one year. Biologically impossible

Mt ELINOR Herd Management Area (HMA) BLM shows a 287% increase in ONE year which would require the herd of 30 horses produce 86 successful foals in one year which would necessitate that every single horse – including the stallions – have more than two surviving foals in one year. Biologically impossible

ADOBE TOWN Herd Management Area (HMA) BLM shows a 178% increase in ONE year which would require the herd of 610 horses produced 1083 successful foals in one year which would necessitate that every single horse – including the stallions – have more than one surviving foal in one year. Biologically impossible

LITTLE COLORADO Herd Management Area (HMA) BLM shows a 380% increase in ONE year which would require the herd of 69 horses produce 262 successful foals in one year which would necessitate that every single horse – including the stallions – produce more than three surviving foals in one year. Biologically impossible

SALT WELLS Herd Management Area (HMA) BLM shows a 300% increase in ONE year requiring the herd of 251 horses produce 752 successful foals in one year which would necessitate that every single horse – including the stallions – produce three surviving foals in one year. Biologically impossible

WHITE MOUNTAIN Herd Management Area (HMA) BLM shows a 168% increase in ONE year requiring the herd of 205 horses produce 344 successful foals in one year which would necessitate that every single horse – including the stallions – produce more than one surviving foal in one year. Biologically impossible

HAVASUHerd Management Area (HMA) BLM shows a 163% increase in ONE year requiring the herd of 153 burros produce 249 successful foals in one year which would necessitate that every single burro – including the jacks – produce more than one surviving foal in one year. Biologically impossible

Horses and burros have an approximate 11-month gestation period but as shown above and in their statistics, BLM continually gives biologically unfeasible annual herd increases. A recent study of 5,859 wild horses from four separate areas of the western United States showed that although the average annual birth rate was about 20% the survival to the age of yearling was only half of those – therefore a maximum herd increase of only 10%. In addition, adult mortality must be factored in which therefore reduces the average herd increase to less than 10% annually.

The National Academy of Science report cited two chief criticisms of the Wild Horse and Burro Program: unsubstantiated population estimates in herd management areas (HMA), and management decisions that are not based in science (NAS, 2013). The BLM’s biologically impossible and scientifically indefensible population growth rates constitute dishonest and distorted data, which the BLM uses to mislead Congress and the American people. These false population statements are a federal crime punishable by prison and a fraudulent action against the American public in addition to being a travesty against our wild horses and burros. As shown in the above few examples, the false data provided by the BLM has been done over the course of many years disclosing not just an occasional clerical error but an ongoing fraudulent action.

Not only are these false statements misleading to Congress and to the public but the perpetrators (BLM) of these fraudulent population increases are in violation of the federal Title 18 (18 U.S.C. § 1001).Making false statements (18 U.S.C. § 1001) is the common name for the United States federal crime laid out in Section 1001 of Title 18 of the United States Code, which prohibits making false or fraudulent statements, in “any matter within the jurisdiction” of the federal government of the United States, 18 U.S. Code § 1519. Whoever, in any matter within the jurisdiction of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the Government of the United States, violates this federal crime shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years. In addition, this is a violation of the Foundation for Ethical Behavior
Executive Order 12674 which states, “To ensure public confidence in the integrity of the Federal Government, Executive Order 12674 (as amended) forms the framework for the ethical behavior required and expected of all Federal employees.”

The above stated fraudulent population statistics published by the Bureau of Land Management have been twice officially reported to the United States Office of the Inspector General and both times the Department has refused to investigate without supplying any reason or rational. It is their responsibility to investigate as specified in their statement “Anyone with knowledge of fraud waste, abuse, misconduct, or mismanagement involving the U.S. Department of the Interior should contact the Office of Inspector General”. The Office of the Inspector General responded to our official and valid complaint with the following, “the complaint you recently submitted to the Office of Inspector General has been fully reviewed. Based upon the issues raised in your complaint, it has been determined that our office will not be opening an investigation.” They provided no justification for their lack of willingness to do their job and no way to appeal their illicit lack of action.

WHY is this evidence of BLM fraud so important? Because these are fraudulent population statistics that BLM provide to the public and deliver to Congress when requesting funding for wild horse and burro capture and management plans. We all need to voice our concerns by contacting OIG and continuing to share this BLM fraud with your government representatives and the media and your friends – spread the word.

References:

2023 Wild Horse and Burro Population Estimates (blm.gov) https://app.box.com/s/n4anbas6y43ugb1rr5sk

Complaints & Requests | Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of the Interior (doioig.gov)