Approximately 149 animals will be removed in order to reach the appropriate management level of 75-125 animals, the BLM said. | Photo: iStock

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) said continued drought conditions and an overpopulation of wild horses has prompted a gather of excess horses from areas in and around the Muddy Creek Herd Management Area (HMA), in Emery County, Utah, which will begin Sept. 11.

Approximately 149 animals will be removed in order to reach the appropriate management level (AML) of 75-125 animals, the BLM said. Once gather operations are completed and the AML is achieved, fertility control will be administered to in order to help reduce population increases in the HMA, the agency said.

The Muddy Creek HMA is located approximately 20 miles south of Ferron, in the San Rafael Swell. It consists of approximately 283,400 acres of public and state lands