RAWLINS — The Bureau of Land Management has approved plans for the agency’s management of the gathering and removal of wild horses from the Adobe Town Herd Management Plan in south-central Wyoming.

This will remove 1,675 excess wild horses from nearly 348,000 acres of mostly public lands managed by the BLM. The lands intermingle with some private lands. Infrared aerial surveys show wild horse populations exceeding the appropriate management levels of 259-536 wild horses in the designated area. Removal will begin summer or fall of 2025. The multi-year removal plan will allow for similar actions in the future when BLM determines populations exceed appropriate levels.

Wild horse overpopulation in fragile ecosystems endangers overall land health and may cause possibilities of permanent, irrecoverable damage to important resources that impacts other wildlife populations. When wild horses arrive at designated holding facilities, they will be checked by veterinarians and readied for the agency’s wild horse Adoption and Sales program. The best available science and handling practices for wild horses will be utilized while meeting overall gather goals and objectives in accordance with the Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program.

For additional information, including the decision record and determination of NEPA adequacy, go to the BLM National NEPA Register.