Calico Complex Roundup & Rescue: A Story of Survival and Hope

The Calico Complex Roundup, conducted by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) from December 29, 2009, to February 4, 2010, stands as one of the largest and deadliest helicopterroundupsof wild horses in U.S. history. Located in the remote Black Rock Desert of northwest Nevada, this event saw 1,922 horses lose their freedom. The roundup's outcome raised questions about the accuracy ofBLM's population estimates.

Calico Complex Roundup

Between December 29, 2009, and February 4, 2010, theBLMconducted one of the largest and deadliest helicopterroundupsof wild horses in U.S. history. The location was the Calico Mountains Complex, located in the remote and pristine Black Rock Desert in northwest Nevada. By the time it ended, 1,922 horses had lost their freedom. The number of horses captured was 600 fewer than targeted, raising questions about the accuracy ofBLM’s population estimate of 3,040 horses in the five Herd Management Areas that comprise the complex.

Eyewitness Reports

Read more about the roundup from eyewitnesses:

• Calico Mountain Roundup by Craig Downer
• BLM Wild Horse Roundup at Calico Ends

Press Release

Discover the true costs of the roundup:

• New Report on BLM’s Calico Mustang Roundup Highlights True Costs to Wild Horses and Taxpayers

More than 100 horses died either as a direct result of the helicopter stampede or in the aftermath during transport or at a holding facility in Fallon, Nevada. In addition to the deaths, over 30 pregnant mares aborted their late-term fetuses, raising the death toll even higher.

The poor little foal pictured was euthanized after suffering from a lack of nutrition when his mother could not produce milk for him. Since the agency is not recording births of foals or the fates of these foals until they reach several months of age, the public would not have known about the fate of this little horse, had he not been noticed by public observers visiting the facility.

Photo By Laura Leigh, Wild Horse Education

For more information on the Calico horses in holding, clickhere.

Rescue

In July of 2010, Return to Freedom placed the winning bids for eight of the Calico stallions in an onlineBLMauction. Ten additional stallions were acquired a month later fromBLMafter Return to Freedom learned that some intact Calico studs remained inBLMholding pens. In September, a nineteenth stallion, a gorgeous senior buckskin, was rescued by Return to Freedom after he was shipped to Oklahoma but declined by the buyer who purchased him in the online auction.

Nearly one year after the brutal roundup, the last 74 of the captured Calico horses were scheduled for transport to long-term holding facilities in the Midwest untilReturn to Freedom American Wild Horse Sanctuaryoffered to take them in instead. Return to Freedom already cares for 19 stallions captured from the same areas as the mares and will reunite these wild horses and recreate family bands for them.

Eyewitness Reports

Learn more about the rescue efforts:

• FAQ on Proposal for a Wild Horse Preserve at Calico
• Captured Calico Mares Beginning New Life, Thanks to Return to Freedom
• Return To Freedom Rescue Update: Calico Stallion "Bucky" and His Friend Back Home in Nevada
• Captured Calico Mustang Stallions Begin New Life Thanks To Return to Freedom
• 18 Captured Calico Stallions, Mare and Foal Start New Life, Thanks to Return to Freedom

Press Releases

• 74 Rescued Calico Mustang Mares Begin Their Journey to Return to Freedom
• Historic partnership between Nevada rancher and California wild horse sanctuary offers hope for captured Nevada mustangs

Media Coverage

• Horse sanctuary rescues 73 mares from Nevada