December 29, 2009

74 wild horses caught in first day of controversial roundup

Associated Press
Silicon Valley Mercury News


WINNEMUCCA, Nev. — The Bureau of Land Management captured 74 mustangs in northern Nevada on the first day of a two-month roundup expected to relocate about 2,500 wild horses to other lands.

BLM spokeswoman JoLynn Worley said Tuesday that there were no reported problems with the horses on the first day of the capture on Monday, with officials using helicopters to corral the animals from a mountain range about 100 miles north of Reno.

The capture was suspended on Tuesday because of heavy snow.

The plan has come under fire from advocates who question whether the roundup is necessary or humane.

Protests of the roundup are planned Wednesday in Chicago, Denver and San Francisco.

The federal agency says it needs to move the horses to control the population in an 850-square-mile area of public and private lands.