BLM to Start Calico Roundup on Private Land- No Public Observers Allowed
Las Vegas Protest Planned for Sunday, December 27th The Cloud Foundation just learned that the Calico Roundup, arguably the most controversial roundup in the BLM's history, will be held for the first two weeks on private land where no members of the public will be allowed to view the operation. According to BLM over half of the 2+ month long roundup will take place on private land. The immediate reaction from the public and those planning on attending on Monday is that this is unacceptable and leads to further suspicions of BLM misconduct. Wild Horse and Burro Chief Don Glenn's statement that the public is welcome to watch any roundup at anytime and offer that the public willl be accommodated at a safe distance (so to not further disturb the horses) has fallen flat. Calico cannot be conducted in secret like the Buckhorn Roundup but by working off private lands the BLM can operate in secracy as apparently the private landowners will not allow any member of the public to be present. The BLM will try to make it possible for public to observe but first two weeks appear to be out. The public should contact Lisa Ross in the Winnemucca office to learn more about observing this massive roundup - 775-623-1541.
The following is a press release from a Nevada resident about a protest in Las Vegas. This is not a Cloud Foundation event, however we support the right of the public to gather and speak out peacefully on behalf of our wild horses and would like to inform you of this protest, albeit on short notice.
PROTEST THE INHUMANE WINTER ROUNDUP OF NEVADA’S WILD HORSES
WHERE: THE ENTRANCE TO RED ROCK CANYON, LAS VEGAS NEVADA, WHEN: 1PM, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27. 2009, CONTACT PERSON: ARLENE GAWNE, 702-277-1313 artistfromafrica@hotmail.comOn Monday, Dec. 28, 2009, the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) intends to roundup approximately 2,400- 2,700 of the estimated 3,000 wild horses in the Calico Mountain wild horse complex of Northern Nevada. They will be driven by helicopters in icy winter conditions, over rocky ground, for long distances. Some horses will be injured or die just as they have in recent BLM helicopter roundups.... (Press Release continued here)
Calico Wild Horses- October 2009 by Craig Downer
TAKE ACTION: Please fax President Obama & Senator Reid today. A Free fax service is available at www.faxzero.com, no fax machine needed! You can fax the White House at 202-456-2461 or call 202-456-1111. Fax Senator Reid at 202-224-7327 or phone his DC office at: 202-224-3542.
I've basically copied and pasted this e-mail I got from the Cloud Foundation. I can only hope if more people get involved they will finally have to be accountable for their actions. Please try to call,fax or e-mail and make our voices heard. Suzanne at Golden Days has more info if you're interested.
I’ve been reading the Cloud Foundation blog and some other sources of information concerning what has happened to this herd since the round up. While it is a shame this travesty was allowed to happen, it is also somewhat gratifying to see that none of the 57 horses ripped from their home have been sold to slaughter or remains in the BLM’s holding pens. Below are two updates taken from http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/news/2009/wildhorses2009.shtml
about the herd.
Pryor herd still paying price of muster
September 28, 2009
The wild horses of the PryorMountains are still recovering from a federal muster aimed at reducing their number, the Cloud Foundation says.
The foundation, which opposed the Bureau of Land Management muster, has provided an update on the horses released back into the wilderness.
It reported that the most famous of the horses, the stallion Cloud, is lame.
The foundation's report came on the same day that the 57 horses retained by the bureau went under the hammerin Lovell, Wyoming.
Foundation voluntary director Ginger Kathrens, whose documentaries made the PryorMountain herd famous, said the horses left on the range are "clearly damaged".
"We were up on the mountaintop yesterday and the cruelty of this massive roundup has not faded away," she says.
"Cloud is lame on his right front and his daughter is still extremely sore. It was painful just watching them walk to water."
One of Cloud's mares, also injured, appears to have a possible stifle injury. His four-year-old daughter, Firestorm, has significant difficulty walking at all.
"I think they will recover but it is hard to know and winter is just around the corner," Kathrens says.
In the past 15 years, all roundups in the PryorMountainWildHorseRange have occurred later in the year when the horses were lower down on the range.
The roundup, she says, took place in early September when nearly all the mountain horses were the furthest away possible from the trap site.
Foals less than one-month-old were forced to run over 12 miles along with their families to the bureau's corrals at the base of the mountain
Fifteen older Pryor horses given home at foot of range
September 29, 2009
Fifteen of the older horses removed from the PryorMountains have been given a picturesque home on a 3000-acre ranch at the foot of the range, it has been revealed.
The 57 horses removed from the 188 living in the herd management area were auctioned at the weekend.
The Cloud Foundation, which opposed the muster on the grounds that reducing numbers would affect the herd's genetic viability, was instrumental in efforts that ensured all 57 were sold and went to good homes.
The foundation reported that residents of Billings had pulled together for the older horses.
"[They] are now back in their family bands," volunteer director of the foundation, Ginger Kathrens, reported.
The 19-year-old stallion Conquistador is back with his black mare, Cavelitta, and other family groups among the older horses have been restored - Shane with Moshi and Mystery; Bo with Sierra, Grumpy, Sand (BJ Star), Chalupa and their filly-foal; Trigger with Mae West and Evita.
"We also got Floyd who was so harassed the day he was captured.
"All 15 horses are now on a 3000-acre ranch at the base of their mountains. We had six trailers pulled by wonderful supporters, new and old friends alike transport the horses to this beautiful ranch.
"The horses are in large pens and paddocks in their family groups for now and will be turned out soon."
Kathrens ran through the fate of other, younger horses.
"Rain found a wonderful home in Virginia, Arrow has a great adopter and is in Colorado for training, Image and Ember will stay together and live on a beautiful farm in Ohio with someone who has known them their whole lives. Sax is in Colorado, too, with an amazing home. Sage came to Colorado, too, and is in a great place. Fettucine and Summer went to good homes, I am hoping. Many other horses have wonderful people watching over them.
"It is devastating not to have these horses in the wild with their families - nothing we can provide them is quite the same.
"Still, this is what we can do to repair some of the damage. Thank you to all - I wish you could see Conquistador with his mare. The light is returning to his golden eyes.
"It was dark when we arrived so no photos of that night, just a half moon in the sky and some very happy and very tired wild horses displaced from their home but back together."
At the turn of the century there were approximately 2 million wild horses living in 17 western states. Their numbers have been reduced to approximately 48,624 Mustangs living in 10 western states today according to BLM calculations. “12,068 horses scheduled for removal in this fiscal year- this is a record number. The BLM Wild Horse and Burro’s program budget was doubled this year but nearly all the additional funds are being allocated to roundups”. 2010 BLM Gather Schedule.
Do you think that perhaps the BLM’s mission is to completely wipe our wild horse heritage off the face of the earth? Unfortunately, we may soon never again be able to see these magnificent animals in their natural habitat. In addition, why you may ask is this program so intent on eradicating these horses to extinction? If it’s not for the good of the horses then who is profiting from these removals? All significant questions that need to be answered. Unfortunately, either the politicians in Washington don’t know what’s going on with their misguided agency the BLM or worse they don’t care. What’s your opinion on the decimation of one of our most treasured national heritages?
Until next time
Quote for Today
Look back on our struggle for freedom, trace our present day’s strength to its source; and you will find that man’s pathway to glory is strewn with the bones of a horse.
The Pryor Mountain round up has finally ended and I'm sure most hearts are gladdened by this. Cloud was released minus many members of his family and is on his way back up the mountain. Fifty-seven horses and three foals at their mother's sides were not so lucky and are imprisoned in the BLM pens instead of roaming free as they always have on their own lands. While we’ve breathed a sigh of relief let’s not forget there is still work to be done to insure safety to the other members of these herds. Please don't stop calling and e-mailing whoever it takes to have the arrogance of the BLM investigated and work to free the older horses.
Grumpy Grulla a mare who is 20 and Conquistador who is 19 and other older horses who will most certainly not be adopted but slaughtered must be released. In their own words the BLM Herd Management Plan dated May 2009, states no horse over the age of 20 is to be removed. Guess they don't even read their own laws. Please don't stop working to have the older horses returned to their mountain.
The horse symbolizes the primeval forces of chaos, intense desire, swiftness and determination. It recalls the freedom of the wind and the fury of the seas. It was the noble animal sought after by kings, knights and gods.
Please visit Baba Yaga's Mirrortoday for more information and a possible hidden agenda behind this decimation of the Pryor Mountain mustangs.
Day 6 of the Roundup has left at least one foal lame.
Below I have copied and pasted the most recent information from the cloud foundation blog which is updated daily, I hope they don't mind but they say it better than anyone can.
Take Action: Please call President Obama now: 202-456-1111 (or 202-456-9000)
Ask that the older horses slated for removal be released Ask that this herd be not taken below 150 adult animals to maintain their genetic viability
Ask for increased scrutiny of the Bureau of Land Management’s Wild Horse and Burro Program. Our wild horses and burros need immediate change and an end to their mismanagement.
Apparently the round up has begun in 90 degree temperatures, babies and senior horses along with the mares and stallions are being trapped and taken. Even though the BLM will put these horses up for adoption we all know most of them are going to slaughter, especially the old mares and stallions. What a shame to be ripped from the only life you've ever known to be crammed in a trailer and then slaughtered inhumanely. They should all be very proud of themselves as human beings to inflict this on helpless animals. Way to go you great big macho men.
Perhaps if we all keep calling our representatives and making them aware of the situation we can be of some help to the herds. There is also a petition that can be signed. Thanks for any interest and help in trying to stop this removal.
Until next time
Quote for Today
The symbol of wide open spaces and freedom, synonymous with nature in a mechanized world, the horse ... feeds our imagination. - Bertrand Leclair
LOVELL, WYOMING - SEPTEMBER 2, 2009 - A Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) request by The Cloud Foundation and Front Range Equine Rescue was denied today in Federal District Court. The TRO was filed to stop the round up of the Pryor Mountain horses, an action unprecedented in size and scope. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has contracted with the federally-indicted Dave Cattoor to round up America’s most famous wild horse herd beginning September 3, 2009. Download Complete PDF Here
Until next time
Quote for Today
A horse's magnificence is in his strength of heart.
Please visit Baba Yaga's Mirror and Wild Horse Warriors today for more information. It's important to understand what is happening to our wild horses in this country. We can and should do all we can to prevent this travesty from taking place. Putting aside the selfish political and economic motives, it becomes clear that this is a moral crisis. These historic herds - these living, breathing horses - deserve better than this and we must be their advocates, as they are helpless pawns caught in the path of a cold and calculating beef industry dictating its will to an uncaring government. Worse, they are the victims of unsympathetic humans who allow this to happen.
Or, perhaps, we are the victims, because we stand by and allow special interests to dictate to us; we allow others to rob us of our heritage, destroy our natural world and act against our moral instinct. Upon their ancestors' backs, our ancestors founded this nation; native peoples of this land made their homes on horseback, and cultivated the roots of our great American breeds from these horses. Our history is in their DNA. They deserve better than to have their existence wiped from the landscape and from history by our hands, with such cruelty and shame, for the sake of our greed.
On another note, today is the scheduled roundup for Cloud's herd in the Pryor Mountains. For more information please visit the Angels for Cloud site for extra information.
You might also want to view this You Tube video:
Until next time
Quote for Today
“The animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours they move finished and complete, gifted with extensions of the sense we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear.”
I just received this information from the Cloud Foundation -
Cloud Foundation WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE! KEEP CALLING We've just been told that BLM Director Bob Abbey is meeting with other officials regarding this round up due to the number of calls and e-mails they are receiving. KEEP IT UP- KEEP CALLING, FAXING AND E-MAILING.
These are our wild horses living on our public lands!
HALT THE PRYORS ROUND UP and all others across the west.
BLM Director Bob Abbey Call: 202-208-3801 Fax: 202-208-5242 Robert_Abbey@blm.gov
Please visit Angels for Cloud for more information and sign the petition! Time is running out!
Yesterday I saw this on Suzanne’s’ blogGolden Days. She has graciously given me permission to reprint her post, and anyone else who wants to repost this is also welcome to do so. Please read this and take action if you feel compelled to do so. I did and I feel we all have to start voicing our outrage about these inhumane practices. I’d like to say 'before they get out of hand' but they are already out of hand and the people back in Washington need to know what’s going on with one of their agencies. With everything going on in the country right now I’m sure this ‘little annoying problem’ is on the back burner and it needs to be brought to the forefront and acted on quickly. Someone has to start caring about this situation and the only way to get your representatives to do that is to make it known that your vote is important to them and if they want your vote they had better start caring about what you care about too.
I’ve checked out Cloud’s blog and apparently he has already been rounded up with some of his herd by the BLM and put into a holding pen.
Here’s a photo gallery of Cloud and his herd mates:Photo Gallery
PRESS RELEASE Bureau of Land Management on Rampage to Destroy Famous Wild Horse Herd For Immediate Release August 10, 2009
Cloud and the wild horses of Montana’s PryorMountains are world famous but fame it appears is not going to protect the herd from a drastic government round up planned to begin September 1st in their spectacular wilderness home.
There are currently only 190 wild horses (one year and older) living in the PryorMountains. The BLM plans to remove 70 of them, plus foals. According to the foremost equine geneticist, Dr. Gus Cothran, 150-200 adult horses are needed in the herd to ensure their genetic diversity, which is vital to their long term survival.
These 70 horses would be placed in jeopardy. Any horses over 10 years of age can be bought directly by killer buyers and transported over the Northern border to Canadian slaughterhouses or south into Mexico. Younger horses not adopted would be put into government holding with 33,000 others that the BLM has removed from the wild and has proposed killing because they can no longer afford to feed them.
BLM cites poor range condition as the reason to remove the horses but abundant snow and rain for the past two and a half years has produced wonderful range conditions according to all who have visited Cloud and his herd. The Agency is not listening to anyone. They want this herd gutted. Nearly all the mares returned to the range would be given an experimental two-year infertility drug, PZP-22.
This helicopter round up is just one among many that the BLM is trying to complete, perhaps before the Obama Administration can catch up with what is going on.
The PryorMountain wild horses are descendants of the Lewis and Clark horses who were stolen by the Crow Indians in the early 1800’s. They can be traced further back to the horses brought over with the Spanish Conquistadors in 1500 making them one of the most Spanish of all wild horse herds in North America.
Amazingly fast, incredibly strong, tirelessly proud, fantastically gentle, he is a huge dark beast that touches the hearts of all who meet him.
He has known joy and violence. Felt the warmth of children and the cruelty of abuse. He has nearly died saving lives and merely been killed by a drunken act. He has known the finery of grand estates and the filth of stinking slums. He has survived fire and flood, starvation and torment.
And nothing could break his spirit-or his great love.
