The BLM said it hopes to reduce the overpopulation of wild horses in Eastern Nevada and prevent further degradation of public lands by helping to balance herd size. | Photo: BLM Nevada/Flickr

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) said it has begun a wild horse gather near Ely, Nevada, with the goal of reducing the overpopulation of wild horses in Eastern Nevada and preventing further public land degradation by helping to balance herd size.

The population of wild horses in the gather area—the Triple B Complex—was estimated at 3,381 as of March 1, more than 10 times above the target population of 474-889 wild horses. By balancing herd size with what the land can support, the BLM said it aims to protect habitat for other wildlife species such as sage grouse, pronghorn antelope, mule deer, and elk. Removing excess animals would also enable significant progress toward achieving the Standards for Rangeland Health identified by the Northeastern Great Basin Resource Advisory Council, the agency said.

The BLM said its priority is to conduct safe, efficient, and successful wild horse gather operations while ensuring humane care and treatment of all animals gathered. The BLM and its contractors will use the best available science and handling practices for wild horses while meeting overall gather goals and objectives in accordance with the Comprehensive Animal Welfare Policy, the agency said