Rangeland Management: Improvements Needed in Federal Wild Horse Program
RCED-90-110
Published: Aug 20, 1990. Publicly Released: Aug 20, 1990.
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Highlights
GAO reviewed the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) efforts to: (1) manage wild horses on public rangeland in 10 western states; and (2) remove and dispose of excess wild horses under an adoption program.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of the Interior | To place the BLM wild horse removal process in the context of a more rational strategy of range improvement, the Secretary of the Interior should direct the Director, BLM, to expeditiously develop carrying capacity and range condition data in wild horse herd areas. |
BLM issued its revised "Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Management Considerations Manual" in draft form in 1993 but does not intend to issue the manual in final form because a pending BLM reorganization will incorporate the subject matter into an overall BLM range management manual. BLM continues to work on developing range condition and carrying capacity data on wild horse areas but time frames have slipped and overall range improvement initiatives are currently on hold pending congressional review.
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| Department of the Interior | To place the BLM wild horse removal process in the context of a more rational strategy of range improvement, the Secretary of the Interior should direct the Director, BLM, to, in locations where those data indicate that grazing-related damage is occurring, incorporate the requirement for intensive livestock management techniques in permit conditions to reduce the impact of this grazing on the range's resources. Where necessary and appropriate, BLM should also remove wild horses and reduce authorized domestic livestock grazing levels on the basis of the relative numbers of each species on the range. |
BLM is implementing a comprehensive management plan throughout the state of Nevada, which takes into account forage availability and range condition. BLM completed the management plan in early 1994 and is currently implementing it.
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| Department of the Interior | To place the BLM wild horse removal process in the context of a more rational strategy of range improvement, the Secretary of the Interior should direct the Director, BLM, to, after initial population adjustments are made, conduct continued monitoring to maintain wild horse and domestic livestock population levels consistent with what the land can support. |
BLM issued its revised "Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Management Considerations Manual" in draft form in 1993 but does not intend to issue the manual in final form because a pending BLM reorganization will incorporate the subject matter into an overall BLM range management manual. BLM has also increased its monitoring effort but overall range improvement initiatives are currently on hold pending congressional review.
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| Department of the Interior | To significantly reduce the likelihood that wild horses removed from public rangeland in the future will experience inhumane treatment and slaughter, the Secretary of the Interior should direct the Director, BLM, to permanently rescind the regulations authorizing fee-waiver adoptions. |
A final rule was published in the September 25, 1990 Federal Register. The rule prohibits the use of power of attorney to adopt wild horses or burros when the adoption will result in the maintenance of more than four untitled wild horses/burros in one location.
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| Department of the Interior | To reduce the costs associated with the disposal of wild horses removed from public rangeland, the Secretary of the Interior should direct the Director, BLM, to establish an average length of time required to halter train a wild horse and an age range for horses best suited to be halter trained, and limit payment to the states to only those horses that meet both those criteria. |
A revised BLM manual on wild horse training establishes a 45-day halter training period as well as a 5- to 9-year-old age range for horses best suited to be trained. The manual was revised on September 10, 1991. The Prison-Training program has been restructured, with no more expensive agreements with, or payments made to states. In FY 1990, over $1 million in payments were made to two states.
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| Department of the Interior | To reduce the costs associated with the disposal of wild horses removed from public rangeland, the Secretary of the Interior should direct the Director, BLM, to develop a standard for determining that a horse has been halter trained as well as an inspection strategy to ensure that the standard is met before offering a horse for adoption. |
The BLM handbook on wild horse training was updated on September 10, 1991. The new handbook lays out specific criteria for determining if a horse is halter trained and calls for the training facility manager/supervisor to conduct an evaluation.
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| Department of the Interior | To reduce the costs associated with the disposal of wild horses removed from public rangeland, the Secretary of the Interior should direct the Director, BLM, to send adoptable younger horses directly to adoption instead of sending them to prison facilities for training. |
BLM Instruction Memorandum 90-307 directed the preparation facilities to ship horses under 5 years of age directly to an adoption event. If no adoption event is scheduled, horses may be shipped to a prison facility until adoption is more cost-effective.
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| Department of the Interior | To reduce the costs associated with the disposal of wild horses removed from public rangeland, the Secretary of the Interior should direct the Director, BLM, to consider a variety of disposal options for unadoptable horses not currently being used and, where necessary, make recommendations for congressional consideration. |
BLM Strategic Plan for Management of Wild Horses and Burros on Public Lands was signed on 6/4/92. It contains components that specifically address the issue of unadoptable animals, including: (1) removing only adoptable animals from public lands; (2) continuing efforts to get more animals adopted; and (3) designating public land areas in each state where unadoptable animals can be returned.
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Topics
Federal aid programsFederal property managementGrazing rightsHorsesLaw enforcementProgram managementPublic landsRange managementWildlife managementWild horses