Spring Creek Basin Mustangs

Press release about fertility control out of the Grand Junction BLM office:

March 31, 2011

Contact: Tom Alvarez, Public Affairs Specialist, (970) 244-3097

Fertility Drug Contributes to Wild Horse Population Control

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Grand Junction  Field Office’s (GJFO) use of the fertility control vaccine porcine zona pellucida (PZP), used for managing wild horse herd populations, is significantly contributing to successful population control of wild horses in the Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Range (LBCWHR). The fertility program’s success is due to the support and assistance from the Friends of the Mustangs (FOM), a local volunteer group in the Grand Junction community.

The fertility control program has reduced the annual population growth to an extent that a gather for 2011 will be unnecessary because 2004 foal counts in the LBC herd have declined, with just 11 born in 2010.

“We are not trying to stop population growth,” said Jim Dollerschell, rangeland management specialist for the GJFO. “We just want to slow it down to reduce the frequency of gathers, which leads to less disruption of the wild horse herd.”

The GJFO last gathered the LBC herd in 2007 and typically plans a gather every two or three years.  The next anticipated gather would now be in 2012.

“It’s a wise decision. We don’t have enough horses to justify a gather,” said Marty Felix, founding member and long-time volunteer of the FOM. “Our horses are very resourceful, and they know where to find food. Almost all of them look fantastic. We’re here to help the BLM and help the horses.”

A fertility control research program was first introduced in 2002 in coordination with the Biological Research Division of the United States Geological Survey.  Fertility control continues to be a principal component of management of the LBCWHR, using a one-year vaccine by means of field darting as the primary method used.  GJFO staff and volunteers from the FOM participate in the darting process, as well as keeping required observations and records.

“What we are doing here in the LBCWHR will not work for all herd management areas across the West,” added Dollerschell, “but our efforts do show that PZP is an effective tool to be used in controlling wild horse population growth rates.  Our relationship with the FOM also provides an example of  how partnerships are effective and needed within the wild horse program. When we are working together, positive results will occur.”

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This is exactly what we’re working toward here, with a partnership between BLM and NMA/CO and, collectively, Disappointment Wild Bunch Partners. We ARE here to help the horses and BLM, and this is what a successful partnership will look like: Slowing population growth and reducing the frequency of roundups in Spring Creek Basin. And we have set things up so it can work excellently here. All the pieces are in place – I’ve documented all the horses in the herd, I’ve been certified to handle and dart PZP, I’ve spent the time with the horses – we’re ready to start. And it has to start somewhere, like everything does.