The Cloud Foundation's Legal Battle to Protect Pryor Mountain Wild Horses

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO. (Dec. 5, 2013)- The Cloud Foundation (TCF) is actively pursuing legal action to protect the genetic diversity of the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Herd. This effort comes after a recent dismissal of their lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (FS) by U.S. District Court Judge Gwin. The case challenges theBLM's Appropriate Management Level (AML) decisions, which TCF argues threaten the herd's long-term genetic viability.

TCF's Motion for Reconsideration argues that the Judge overlooked key points, citing issues not central to TCF's complaints and contradicting a 2010 ruling that allowed TCF to include the FS in the case due to a new fence construction.

TCF emphasizes the importance of addressing both theBLMand FS in their lawsuit. The current AML is based on the acreage within the designated Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range, which TCF believes should be expanded to include historic areas used by themustangsin the Custer National Forest.

An August 2013 report by leading equine geneticist, E. Gus Cothran, PhD, from Texas A&M University, supports this view. Cothran warns of declining genetic variability in the herd and urges theBLMto increase the population size if range conditions permit.

Currently, the Pryor herd consists of around 150 adult horses, a decrease from the low 200s in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Cothran's report attributes the decline in genetic variability to the maintained population size in recent years.

TCF remains committed to advocating for Montana’s PryorMustangs, renowned for their Spanish heritage and the stallion, Cloud, documented by Kathrens since his birth in 1995. Kathrens, an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, has produced three acclaimed programs for thePBS Nature Seriesabout this iconic stallion.

For further reading, explore the following resources:

• Judge Rules against The Cloud Foundation Lawsuit to Protect the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Herd
• Genetic Analysis of the Pryor Mountains Wild Horse Range, MT by E. Gus Cothran, August 2013
• The Cloud Foundation Legal Documents, Pryor Wild Horse Herd