Controversy Surrounds Wild Horse Roundup Plan

LAS VEGAS --Those who live in Cold Creek know how majestic and friendly southern Nevada's wild horses can be. However, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plans to round up a significant portion of these horses, sparking controversy among wild horse advocates.

The majority of the wild horses left in the area are scheduled to end up in federal holding pens. They are primarily located in two spots: Cold Creek, about 50 minutes north of Las Vegas off Highway 95, and the west flank of the mountain just northeast of Pahrump.

TheBLMplans to round up 80 percent of the horses this winter. At a recentBLMadvisory meeting in Las Vegas, a group of wild horse advocates voiced their opposition to the plan, arguing that the government is missing a significant opportunity.

Currently, there are between 500 and 600 horses in the Spring Mountains. TheBLMplans to leave only 63 to 93 of them there after the roundup.

Gawne proposes gathering the horses, administering birth control, and then releasing them back into the wild. Advocates suggest using the horses as a tourist attraction, offering trail rides and backpack trips for visitors.

Members of the Spring Mountain Alliance claim that people from as far away as Japan and Europe come to see the horses, and they believe that making it an official eco-tourism draw could attract tourists from places like China as well.

The proposed roundup would leave just one horse for every 10,000 acres.

In June of last year, wild horse advocates gathered in Cold Creek to express their desire for the wild horses to remain free. The Spring Mountain Alliance's plan would require theBLMto engage in an experimental management program, similar to one that billionaire Madeleine Pickens has been working on in Elko County, which leverages wild horse eco-tourism.

However, Pickens has stated that theBLMhas only created obstacles. Residents of Cold Creek and wild horse advocates hope their voices are not being ignored.

The roundup would cost hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars. For more information, visitspringmountainalliance.org/the-state-of-nevadas-wild-horsesorblm.gov/nv/st/en/prog/wh_b.html.

Originally Posted By KLAS