CLOVIS, N.M. (RFD News) — The Bureau of Land Management is using an upcoming adoption event to address a much larger challenge: balancing wild horse and burro populations with the health of western rangelands.
The agency will offer 120 horses and burros July 24 and 25 in Clovis, New Mexico. The animals were removed from public lands where herd growth can place added pressure on forage, water, wildlife habitat, and other grazing resources.
The adoption and sale program gives private owners a role in long-term herd management. Since 1973, more than 280,000 wild horses and burros have been placed in approved homes across the country.
Applicants must meet standards for fencing, shelter, feed, water, corral space, and safe transportation. Those requirements are intended to protect animals after they leave federal care.
For ranchers and rural communities, the issue extends beyond adoption. Managing herd size affects grazing conditions, land productivity, and the condition of public rangelands shared by livestock and wildlife.
