THIS WEEK IN WILD BEAUTY: August 6th, 2022
The Wild Beauty Foundation welcomes you to the twelfth edition of our weekly newsletter!
Read the newest wild horse and burro focused headlines for the week of August 6th, 2022
A still from our upcoming WILD BEAUTY documentary
Updates Regarding the Triple B and Blue Wing Roundups
This week, the BLM is in the process of two extensive roundups in Nevada, in the Triple B and Blue Wing HMAs. The Triple B HMA is close to our hearts at WBF as it was the location we first witnessed a roundup live, and were able to capture the shocking sight for our upcoming documentary, Wild Beauty. This tragic roundup occurred no more than three years ago, and yet so soon the HMA is facing another brutal defeat.
The Triple B roundup began on July 15th, and since then approximately 747 wild horses have been stripped from their home. This already heartbreaking number is only a portion of the BLM’s planned 1,800 horses to be removed. As of August 6th, 16 horses have already unnecessarily lost their lives. Many of these horses were euthanized for “deformities” that they would have previously lived long lives in the wild, such as sway backs and club feet.
WBF supports that these narratives constructed by the BLM to excuse their roundup efforts is false, and allows them to prioritize special interests such as livestock grazing on the public land instead.
As for the Blue Wing Complex roundup, the BLM estimated that there were approximately 1,695 wild horses and 1,327 wild burros living on over 2,283,000 acres split up between five HMAs and four Herd Areas. The BLM plans to remove approximately 200 wild horses and 800 wild burros from this expansive area of public land. WBF supports that over 2,000,000 acres is more than enough land for the current population to thrive and there is no scientific evidence as to why this amount of wild horses and burros should be removed from this area.
As of August 5th, 693 wild burros were rounded up from the Blue Wing Complex. Six wild burros died during this roundup. Along with wild horses, we must lend our voice to wild burros as well. These beautiful animals face similar roundups by the BLM and unfortunately do not get as much public attention as our wild horses do. With your help, we can stand up for wild horses and burros and fight to keep them free.
Mackenzie Foy and Whisper of the Wild photographed by Kimerlee Curyl
Coming Soon: WBF 2022 Short Story Writing Competition
WBF is excited to announce that our Second Annual Short Story Writing Competition for children and teens is about to launch! This year, the official theme is “Connection and Wild Horses”. We will be revealing the full list of amazing actors participating very soon, so keep an eye out on our social media platforms for the announcement!
Kicking off our participating actors is Black Beauty’s, Mackenzie Foy! This will be Mackenzie’s second year participating in this competition and we are so proud to have her as a WBF Ambassador.
Full details will be posted later this week and we will begin taking entries shortly after the official announcement. This year will also include a new age category per your feedback and requests. We will be including Elementary age children between 5-10, in addition to Middle Grade ages of 10-14, and High School at 14-18.
We at WBF thank all the children and teens lending their creativity to help save wild horses.
Photograph by Carol Walker
Wheatland Off-Range Corral Continues to Spark Controversy Concerning Wild Horse Safety
An off-range holding facility located in Wheatland, Wyoming has recently come under fire for its lack of public statements regarding a strangles outbreak at their facility. Back in April, we covered a story on this private facility as they were working to contain a strangles outbreak. This highly contagious bacterial infection is similar to strep throat in humans and causes horses to have trouble eating and breathing.
Prior to the BLM releasing a statement on the outbreak, the adoption event at their facility was canceled due to “staffing shortages”. When this narrative was repeated in April, advocates and potential adopters sparked concern. This then led the BLM to publicly announce the outbreak at the facility.
Now, the most recent adoption event that was scheduled for last Friday, August 5th, has also been canceled. We at WBF urge the BLM to look out for the safety and health of the wild horses that were unnecessarily taken from their homes in the wild. These horses would not have been exposed to this infection if not for being kept in a holding facility for over seven months.
Photographer and advocate Carol Walker sent an email to the Wyoming Wild Horse and Burro State Lead asking for further detail into this unexplained cancelation of the August adoption event. It was revealed that the horses at the facility continue to exhibit signs of the infection three months later and the facility plans to remain closed to the public. Unfortunately, it was stated in a recent update to the holding facility’s page that roughly half of the horses at the facility have shown signs of strangles and 15 horses have died from the illness.
This is yet another harsh reality of roundups in our country. The fight is not over, and we will continue to stand with wild horses.
Photograph by Jim Brown
This Week’s Call To Action
Urge Your Members of Congress to Stand with Wild Horses
Two pieces of legislation that aim to protect both wild and domestic horses within our country are making their way through Congress. The Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act and the SAFE Act are both historic bills that support protection for wild horses. If passed, The Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act would ban the use of helicopters in wild horse and burro management. On the other hand, the SAFE act would prevent any horse wild or domestic from being legally transported to slaughter across national borders.
This is where you come in; we need the support of your local Members of Congress to get these bills passed. The more legislators that know about the impact of wild horses in our community, the more likely these bills are to pass. We at WBF urge you to send a letter or call your local representatives and ask them to “Stand with Wild Horses”.
You can find contact information for your local representatives here.
Rescheduled: Join Us Monday, August 8th for a Live Facebook Chat with Kimerlee Curyl
This Monday, August 8th, Kimerlee Curyl will be joining us for a rescheduled Facebook Live Chat. Although last week’s chat was cut short due to technical difficulties, we are looking forward to talking with her again!
Facebook Live times will be announced soon so keep an eye out on our social media to learn more about how you can join the discussion.
Along with this rescheduling comes a silver lining; you have more time to enter Kimerlee’s giveaway of her gorgeous print, “Snowy”! From now until August 7th at midnight PST, check out our WBF social media pages as well as Kimerlee Curyl’s Instagram to enter!
Read the story behind this image below.
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“Snowy” by Kimerlee Curyl
July 2021. Snowy was captured during the tragic round up that stripped the Onaqui of 60+% of the horses here.
She had been chased by helicopter into a trap site to be removed from her homeland forever. Once trapped, the mares and stallions are separated, families are fractured and torn apart, forever.
Snowy was not settling well.
She wanted no part of this chaotic operation, as no wild horse ever does. And, as any strong female knows, often times we need to take matters into our own hooves. And that is what this beautiful, resilient, strong creature did. From a stand still this stunning mare jumped and cleared a six foot panel and took her freedom back.
Capturing this soft, quiet moment with her last October one very cold, yet snowy morning was a special gift I could not have dreamed up, its one I’ll never forget and will forever be etched on my heart.
May her will and desire to be free – inspire you.
Erin & Alamo’s “Mustang Diary”
A photo of Alamo in the wild by Kisa Kavass sent to us by his adopter, Erin.
This week we are thrilled to debut a new segment of the WBF website entitled, “Mustang Diaries”! Kicking off this new blog is a story about Erin and her new adoptive mustang, Alamo, who were kind enough to share their story with us. After a much-anticipated wait, you can read their full story on the “Mustang Diaries” blog, here!
BLM Releases Statement on Upcoming New Mexico Roundup
This week, the BLM released an assessment on a planned roundup of the Border Atravesado HMA. At the moment, there are 230 wild horses in this herd management area, a genetically sustainable number. However, after the proposed roundup occurs there will be less than 50 wild horses living free on this land.
WBF notes that this number is extremely low and does not provide the herd with a genetically sustainable population size.
Fortunately, no helicopters will be used to round up the approximate 190 horses. Instead, a water bait trap method will be implemented which in comparison to the helicopter drive is much more humane. This is a step closer to grounding all helicopter roundups but unfortunately, no roundup is a good roundup.
The Wild Beauty Foundation Nominated for a 2022 Raise Award
We at WBF are deeply proud to learn that we have been nominated for “Best Storyteller of the Year” in the 2022 Raise Awards! Sponsored by OneCause, the Raise Fundraising Conference is an annual event, this year being held in Chicago as well as virtually.
Learn more about RAISE or get tickets to attend virtually or in person, here!
Thank you to our amazing volunteers and those who have helped us along the way. We are incredibly thankful to have been nominated for an award and are so excited to continue our work on behalf of horses, children, and our wild world.
Photograph by Kimerlee Curyl
Glimpse of Wild Beauty
Kimerlee Curyl’s stunning photo of a wild horse’s reflection through the water inspires us to pause and reflect on our own journey.
Photograph by Sandy Sharkey
A Quote to Graze On
“Horses can’t speak but you can speak for them.
To help them you just have to reflect and become aware, giving unconditional love.
No matter where you are in the world, if you love them you just have to say it out loud
I AM WITH THE WILD HORSES”
– WBF Advocate, Mimi
We recently had an incredible poem sent in by Mimi, a wonderful WBF advocate, in support of wild horses. We at WBF thank you for lending your voice and creativity on behalf of our wild world. You can read the full poem here.
Thank you for being a supporter of wild horses, and protecting the wild beauty of our world.
– The WBF Team
#istandwithwildhorses #wildbeautyspirit
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