Frequently Asked Questions
BACKGROUND INFORMAITON:
The Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Range (LBCWHR) is located approximately 20 miles west of DeBeque, Colorado, a top the Book Cliffs escarpment. It is 13 miles in length and encompasses 36,014 acres of which 35,189 are public and 925 are private acres.
Topography is highly variable, ranging from deep, rugged canyons in the lower elevations along with gently sloped mesas dissected by steep canyons in the upper elevations. Coal and Main Canyons are the primary use areas at the lower elevations whereas Upper Main, Cottonwood and Lane Canyons’ divide the upper elevations. Elevations range from 5,100 feet to 7,100 feet above sea level. The entire wild horse area is enclosed by pole or wire fencing in combination with natural barriers (sheer canyon walls and escarpments). Water sources are primarily developed springs and natural seeps.
This LBCWHR was established in the fall of 1974 by a General Management Agreement. The agreement was made to resolve wild horse conflicts and impacts associated with the Round Mountain grazing allotment and the permittee. On November 7, 1980, the area was dedicated as the third National Wild Horse Range in the country. There is no livestock grazing authorized within the LBCWHR. There are numerous types and colors of horses in this HMA, and with the proximity to the Grand Valley, the HMA receives abundant interest from the public.
The Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Management Plan was written and approved in 1979, and revised in 1984, 1992. The AML established in the plan was 65- 125 wild horses. In 2002, The Little Book Cliffs Population Management Plan (PMP) was prepared and amended the Wild Horse Management Plan. The PMP adjusted the AML and described the desired population demographics for the range.
In 1997 part of the Round Mountain Allotment was added to the horse range through a cooperative agreement with the permittees. This added 4904 acres and 319 animal unit months to the horse range. As reflected in the PMP (appendix A), the addition of 4904 acres changed the appropriate management level from 65 to 125 horses, to the current range of 90 to 150 horses.
In 2002, the BLM initiated a fertility control research program in coordination with the Biological Research Division (BRD) of the United States Geological Service (USGS) in the Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Range to study the effectiveness of porcine zona pellucida (PZP) and the effects of the drug on wild horses. Details of the research program are contained in the Environmental Assessment and Gather Plan Document CO-GJFO-32-EA. The research program followed the national field trial research protocol.
ZonaStat-H is the liquid native PZP that BLM uses that is federally approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and registered under the number 86833-1. PZP is a naturally occurring pig protein, which degrades quickly in the environment. If eaten, it is digested like any other protein and cannot pass through the food chain (Kirkpatrick et al. 2006).
More information on PZP can be found at:
http://www.pzpinfo.org/pzp.html
http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/whbprogram/science_and_research/fertility_control.html
In 2007, the BLM shifted fertility control activities from the individual based research study to the population based research. Field darting under this research program ended in 2006 but BLM and volunteers continue to keep records of foaling data and administered fertility control. Following 2006, fertility control efforts continued within the LBCWHR through additional NEPA analysis. As of the end of 2017, 105 mares have been darted as part of the fertility control program since 2002. Darting efforts and data collection are similar to those followed under the research program. A darting team comprised of BLM personnel and volunteers conduct the fertility control efforts based on BLM policy and protocol. The vaccine induces one year of infertility. The number of foals per year has been reduced since 2004. Foal counts had ranged from 24 to 41 foals per year prior to the fertility program resulting in a population growth in the 20 to 25 percent range. Since the fertility program foal counts have ranged from 11 to 26 dropping the annual growth rate to 9 to 15 percent. Past population numbers and annual foal counts can be found in the wild horse section in Chapter 3 of the Environmental Assessment. Results from treating mares are discussed in this Environmental Assessment. Fertility control will continue within the LBCWHR regardless of the determination to conduct a gather operation. Additional fertility control is proposed as part of the gather proposal.
The Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Range (LBCWHR) is located approximately 20 miles west of DeBeque, Colorado, a top the Book Cliffs escarpment. It is 13 miles in length and encompasses 36,014 acres of which 35,189 are public and 925 are private acres.
Topography is highly variable, ranging from deep, rugged canyons in the lower elevations along with gently sloped mesas dissected by steep canyons in the upper elevations. Coal and Main Canyons are the primary use areas at the lower elevations whereas Upper Main, Cottonwood and Lane Canyons’ divide the upper elevations. Elevations range from 5,100 feet to 7,100 feet above sea level. The entire wild horse area is enclosed by pole or wire fencing in combination with natural barriers (sheer canyon walls and escarpments). Water sources are primarily developed springs and natural seeps.
This LBCWHR was established in the fall of 1974 by a General Management Agreement. The agreement was made to resolve wild horse conflicts and impacts associated with the Round Mountain grazing allotment and the permittee. On November 7, 1980, the area was dedicated as the third National Wild Horse Range in the country. There is no livestock grazing authorized within the LBCWHR. There are numerous types and colors of horses in this HMA, and with the proximity to the Grand Valley, the HMA receives abundant interest from the public.
The Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Management Plan was written and approved in 1979, and revised in 1984, 1992. The AML established in the plan was 65- 125 wild horses. In 2002, The Little Book Cliffs Population Management Plan (PMP) was prepared and amended the Wild Horse Management Plan. The PMP adjusted the AML and described the desired population demographics for the range.
In 1997 part of the Round Mountain Allotment was added to the horse range through a cooperative agreement with the permittees. This added 4904 acres and 319 animal unit months to the horse range. As reflected in the PMP (appendix A), the addition of 4904 acres changed the appropriate management level from 65 to 125 horses, to the current range of 90 to 150 horses.
In 2002, the BLM initiated a fertility control research program in coordination with the Biological Research Division (BRD) of the United States Geological Service (USGS) in the Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Range to study the effectiveness of porcine zona pellucida (PZP) and the effects of the drug on wild horses. Details of the research program are contained in the Environmental Assessment and Gather Plan Document CO-GJFO-32-EA. The research program followed the national field trial research protocol.
ZonaStat-H is the liquid native PZP that BLM uses that is federally approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and registered under the number 86833-1. PZP is a naturally occurring pig protein, which degrades quickly in the environment. If eaten, it is digested like any other protein and cannot pass through the food chain (Kirkpatrick et al. 2006).
More information on PZP can be found at:
http://www.pzpinfo.org/pzp.html
http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/whbprogram/science_and_research/fertility_control.html
In 2007, the BLM shifted fertility control activities from the individual based research study to the population based research. Field darting under this research program ended in 2006 but BLM and volunteers continue to keep records of foaling data and administered fertility control. Following 2006, fertility control efforts continued within the LBCWHR through additional NEPA analysis. As of the end of 2017, 105 mares have been darted as part of the fertility control program since 2002. Darting efforts and data collection are similar to those followed under the research program. A darting team comprised of BLM personnel and volunteers conduct the fertility control efforts based on BLM policy and protocol. The vaccine induces one year of infertility. The number of foals per year has been reduced since 2004. Foal counts had ranged from 24 to 41 foals per year prior to the fertility program resulting in a population growth in the 20 to 25 percent range. Since the fertility program foal counts have ranged from 11 to 26 dropping the annual growth rate to 9 to 15 percent. Past population numbers and annual foal counts can be found in the wild horse section in Chapter 3 of the Environmental Assessment. Results from treating mares are discussed in this Environmental Assessment. Fertility control will continue within the LBCWHR regardless of the determination to conduct a gather operation. Additional fertility control is proposed as part of the gather proposal.