Wild Horse Management Plus Updates On National Parks

Wild horses - mustangs - roam free in the West Desert in Central Utah, in the San Rafael Swell, and in other areas throughout the West. They are considered an important part of the American heritage, living symbols of the Old West.

It is thrilling to see a herd, to hear the thunder of hoof beats, knowing that the animals are as free as the wind.

But the herds have been growing, reproducing to the point that dwindling rangelands can not support their numbers, and so BLM faces the challenge finding ways to deal with them. Every year surplus wild horses are "adopted" by private citizens who pledge to care for them. But that has not been enough to solve the problem. (See info about wild horse adoptions in Utah.)

Now BLM is asking for proposals on horse population control. The National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board will meet April 14-15 in Sacramento, and is inviting public participation. Read about that meeting. Below is a quote from the news release:

"The BLM recently announced it is seeking research proposals to develop new or improve existing ways of controlling the population growth of wild horses and burros that roam public lands in the West. The agency has issued a Request for Applications to alert veterinarians, scientists, universities, pharmaceutical companies, and other researchers of the BLM’s need to develop new, innovative techniques and protocols for implementing population growth-suppression methods. The submission deadline for applications is May 7, 2014. "

Capitol Reef NPS

Hickman Bridge trailhead will be closed March 26 to April 2 for rock wall maintenance work.

Zion National Park

To combat traffic congestion, Zion National Park will implement traffic control on the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive during the last weekends of March. The shuttle starts up April 1, and it will eliminate private vehicles from the scenic drive in Zion Canyon.