The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has begun an emergency wild horse roundup in the Cold Creek area near Las Vegas, Nevada. However, some wild horse advocates allege that the agency could be responsible for the animals’ distress in the first place.

As a result of severe drought and the resulting lack of forage, BLM Acting State Director John Ruhs said in a written statement that wild horses in the Wheeler Pass herd management area have been observed eating bark and desert shrub and traveling more than 10 miles to reach water sources. Many horses have been observed to have declining body conditions, he said, and are not expected to more than a few weeks without intervention, he said

“Many of the animals are in very poor condition, and we do not expect the situation to improve any time soon,” Ruhs’ statement said.

In response, on Aug. 29, the agency began using hay and water to gather 200 animals for transfer to a short-term holding facility. Once there, each horse will receive a veterinary examination and free access to hay and water, the statement said. The horses will later be made available for sale or adoption or will be transferred to a longer term holding pasture