Thousands of wild horses near Lake Tahoe are becoming increasingly dangerous to drivers in Nevada — but residents in the state have no legal way to control their own population, according to reports.
The Virginia Range — a 40-mile stretch from the easternmost part of the Sierra Nevada Mountains north from Carson City to Reno — was overrun by more than 3,500 horses, veterinarian and Nevada Department of Agriculture Director JJ Goicoechea told SF Gate.
New residents in the area only arrived in the 1980s and 1990s after being released by ranchers or running away, he said.
However under Nevada law, herds of problem horses are state property – making it illegal to trap, feed or disturb them in any way, the outlet reported.
“It is important that residents and tourists do not feed or provide water to the horses,” said Goicoechea. “Not only is it illegal, but it encourages them to come further into urban areas and away from areas where they would naturally roam until they find more forage.”
There are more than 3,500 wild horses roaming the Virginia Range in Nevada. The Washington Post via Getty Images
The Virginia range is well beyond its carrying capacity of about 500 to 600 horses, which in addition to putting pressure on the local ecosystem poses a danger to drivers as the human population grows rapidly in the Reno region.
There were 46 horse-related vehicle accidents in 2020, 27 in 2021, 24 in 2022 and 42 by the end of November 2023, a Nevada Department of Agriculture representative told the outlet, noting that those statistics only reflect incidents reported in the Virginia Range.
Wild horses graze in a neighborhood in Reno, Nevada, in 2021. X/@CatchTheBaby
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for maintaining nearly 45,000 more wild horses in Nevada. The agency estimates there were at least 400 collisions between cars and horses between 2006 and 2018.
Mustangs also pose a danger to people who approach them or try to uproot them from their land.
“NDA has documented incidents of children being kicked by horses,” said Goicoechea. “These animals can be unpredictable and may charge or kick nearby animals, especially if they feel threatened.”
Goicoechea said the wild horse population could grow by about 25% each year.
In response to the ballooning population, the Nevada Department of Agriculture partnered with the American Wild Horse Campaign to administer fertility control treatments to about 80% of the horse population — leading to a 66% drop in birth rates over the past four years, SF Gate reported.
State officials are working on a new program to control the region’s horse population. X/@CatchTheBaby
Other controversial measures, such as rounds from the BLM, led to several horse deaths. In July, 11 mustangs died in a herd after a broken bone escaped from an agency helicopter, sparking a public outcry.
A new program will be announced soon to monitor the horse population, Goicoechea said.
Meanwhile, the Arizona BLM plans to remove up to 1,000 wild donkeys from the Black Mountain Group Management Area, ABC 15 reported this week.
“Wild burros have essentially no natural predators, resulting in a rapid increase in population,” said Amanda Dodson, Kingman field manager, in a press release. “If not managed properly, livestock can double in size every five years.
They will be sent to a wild horse and burro facility in California, where they will be available for adoption or sale, officials said.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
