The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) began a helicopter-conducted wild horse gather on Jan. 31 within the overpopulated Triple B Complex in Eastern Nevada.

The agency said the operation’s purpose is to prevent undue or unnecessary degradation of the public lands associated with excess wild horses, and to restore a thriving natural ecological balance and multiple-use relationship on public lands, consistent with the provisions of Section 1333(b) of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. The BLM said it strives to be a good neighbor in the communities it serves, ensuring public safety is not at risk due to the overpopulation of wild horses and providing opportunities for economic growth with space for traditional uses.

The current population estimate for the Triple B Complex is approximately 3,842 wild horses. The BLM has set the cumulative appropriate management level for all the herd management areas (HMA) within the targeted gather area at 472–884 wild horses. The appropriate management level is the level at which wild horse populations are consistent with the land’s capacity to support them and other mandated uses of those lands, including protecting ecological processes and habitat for wildlife and livestock.

Originally, the BLM had planned to gather 1,500 wild horses and remove approximately 1,000 horses. Due to a larger number of animals located outside the complex and on private lands, public safety concerns, a higher rate of horses in poor body condition than anticipated, and concerns that the abnormally dry conditions could lead to an emergency situation this summer, the BLM has elected to gather fewer animals, but remove an additional 300 horses from the range