… But Worse
Inflated Numbers, Vanishing Herds: The Data Crisis in America’s Wild Horse Program
Kathleen Gregg and Michele Anderson, Environmental Researchers
May 10, 2025
Wild Horse Photo by Leslie Sterling
Again, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) annual population data exposes questionable inconsistencies including:
#1 Thousands of missing wild horses and burros from their legal home ranges
#2 Biologically impossible population increases
#3 Zeroing out and/or robbing the wild horses and burros from legally designated lands
Ten years ago, we started closely following the BLM’s annual published wild horse and burro population estimates; and have this data back even to 2005. What was found each and every year tells a troubling and often unbelievable story: population growth rates that defy biology and data that suggests the disappearances of thousands of wild horses and burros with no explanation. While the BLM claims to act in the animals’ best interest, its own records suggest a different narrative—one where numbers are manipulated, transparency is lacking, and the fate of thousands of wild horses and burros remains unknown.
Examples Below:
FORT SAGE Herd Management Area (HMA). BLM shows a 65% decrease in ONE year. During that one-year period, BLM reported no legal environmental assessment (EA) for any roundup of horses on this HMA and no legal roundup since September 1998. And yet the Fort Sage HMA is MISSING 283 of our wild horses this past year without any legally required notice (EA) to the public. These are our horses by congressional law and were SUPPOSED to be under the BLM’s protection.
FLANIGAN Herd Management Area (HMA). BLM shows a 59% decrease in ONE year. During that one-year period, BLM reported no legal environmental assessment (EA) for any roundup of horses on this HMA and no legal roundup since annuary 2012. And yet the Flannigan HMA is MISSING 337 of our wild horses this past year without any legally required notice (EA) to the public. These are our horses by congressional law and were SUPPOSED to be under the BLM’s protection.
MONTGOMERY PASS Herd Management Area (HMA). BLM shows a 90% decrease in ONE year. Although a massive capture was planned for May of 2025, during that one-year period of March 2024 to March 2025, BLM reported no legal environmental assessment (EA) for any roundup of horses on this HMA and no legal roundup since September 1998. And yet the Montgomery Pass HMA is MISSING 666 of our wild horses this past year without any legally required notice (EA) to the public. These are our horses by congressional law and were SUPPOSED to be under the BLM’s protection.
BEATYS BUTTE Herd Management Area (HMA). BLM shows a 35% decrease in ONE year. During that one-year period, BLM reported no legal environmental assessment (EA) for any roundup of horses on this HMA and no legal roundup since June 2016. And yet the Fort Sage HMA is MISSING 232 of our wild horses this past year without any legally required notice (EA) to the public. These are our horses by congressional law and were SUPPOSED to be under the BLM’s protection.
CHEMEHUEVI Herd Management Area (HMA). BLM shows a 46% decrease in ONE year. During that one-year period, BLM reported no legal environmental assessment (EA) for any roundup of burros on this HMA and no legal roundup since August 2018. And yet the Chemehuevi HMA was MISSING 634 of our wild burros in 2020 without any legally required notice (EA) to the public. These are our burros by congressional law and were SUPPOSED to be under the BLM’s protection.
BIG SANDY Herd Management Area (HMA). BLM shows an 83% decrease in ONE year. During that one-year period, BLM reported no legal environmental assessment (EA) for any roundup of burros on this HMA and no legal roundup since August 2020. And yet the Big Sandy HMA was MISSING 1896 of our wild burros in 2023 without any legally required notice (EA) to the public. These are our burros by congressional law and were SUPPOSED to be under the BLM’s protection.
KIGER Herd Management Area (HMA) BLM shows a 140% increase in ONE year. This would require the herd of 224 horses to produce 314 successful foals in one year, meaning every single horse – including the stallions – have more than one surviving foal in one year. Biologically impossible
CIBOLA-TRIGO Herd Management Area (HMA) BLM shows a 699% increase in ONE year. This would require the herd of 279 burros to produce 1951 successful foals in one year, meaning every single burro – including the jacks – have more than six surviving foals in one year. Biologically impossible
CENTENNIAL Herd Management Area (HMA) BLM shows a 666% increase in ONE year. This would require the herd of 56 burros to produce 373 successful foals in one year, meaning every single burro – including the jacks – have more than six surviving foals in one year. Biologically impossible
BULLFROG Herd Management Area (HMA) BLM shows a 367% increase in ONE year. This would require the herd of 250 burros to produce 917 successful foals in one year, meaning every single burro – including the jacks – have more than three surviving foals in one year. Biologically impossible
FOUR MILE Herd Management Area (HMA) BLM shows capturing 162 wild horses in 2021/22 followed by zeroing out the entire herd in 2024 due to fire although the Appropriate Management Area (AML) is still 37-60 and none have been returned to their legal land.
DIVIDE BASIN and SALT WELLS Herd Management Areas (HMAs) are being changed to Herd Areas (HAs) by BLM. Changing the designation from HMA to HA will allow the BLM to zero out all the wild horses. Furthermore, the captured and removed 2,485 wild horses will lose their legal protection as provided and stated in the 1971 Wild Horse and Burro Act.
STONEWALL Herd Management Area (HMA), NV. BLM shows 95 wild burros in March 2023 but then a year later March 2024 ALL burros were missing but the public was not notified and no legally required environmental assessment (EA) for capture was done by BLM resulting in zero burros on their legally land.
Legalities and Analysis:
Since 1971, the Wild Horse and Burro Act provides for the legal protection for these wild animals on specific acres of public lands. Because population estimates drive nearly all management decisions pertaining to wild horses and burros, accuracy is important. The National Academy of Science (NAS) 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 annual population statistics published by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which have been the subject of public alarm, were officially reported on two separate occasions in recent years to the United States Office of the Inspector General (OIG). According to the office’s own guidelines, individuals with knowledge of fraud, waste, abuse, misconduct, or mismanagement involving the U.S. Department of the Interior are encouraged to contact the Office of Inspector General, yet in both instances, the Department declined to initiate an investigation and did not provide any explanation or justification for its decision.
The discovery of these questionable tactics by BLM raises serious issues regarding transparency and accountability. As demonstrated in the examples above, the data inconsistencies appear to have occurred over an extended period, suggesting a pattern that goes beyond isolated clerical errors.
Certain BLM statements presented regarding population increases and decreases appear to be inconsistent with available data, potentially leading to misunderstandings by Congress and the public. These discrepancies may raise concerns under federal statute Title 18 (18 U.S.C. § 1001), which addresses the prohibition against making false or fraudulent statements in matters within the jurisdiction of the federal government.
Specifically, 18 U.S. Code § 1001 outlines that knowingly and willfully falsifying, concealing, or covering up material facts, or making materially false statements in any matter within the jurisdiction of the executive, legislative, or judicial branches of the U.S. government, is a federal offense punishable by fines or imprisonment of up to five years. Additionally, such conduct may be at odds with the standards set forth in Executive Order 12674 on ethical behavior, which emphasizes the importance of integrity and public confidence in the actions of all federal employees.
Conclusion:
WHY is this evidence of BLM fraud so important? Because these deceitful statistics and maneuvers are provided by BLM to the public and delivered to Congress when BLM is requesting funding for wild horse and burro capture and management plans.
The discovery of
#1 Thousands of missing wild horses and burros from their legal home ranges
#2 Biologically impossible population increases
#3 Zeroing out and/or robbing the wild horses and burros from legally designated lands requires serious investigation.
We all need to voice our concerns by contacting the BLM and OIG. We must also continue to share this BLM dishonesty with our Senators and Representatives and the media and your friends – spread the word.
References:
2025 Wild Horse and Burro Population Estimates (blm.gov) https://app.box.com/s/n4anbas6y43ugb1rr5skComplaints & Requests | Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of the Interior (doioig.gov)
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