Cloud's Wild Herd to be Destroyed

[countrygirl]

Cross posted from AB Board:


ALL,

PLEASE HELP WITH THIS!!

PLEASE XPOST

YOU MAY REMEMBER A PBS SPECIAL ON THE WILD STALLION CLOUD

www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/cloud-wild-stallion-of-the-rockies/introduction/29/

www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/uncategorized/roundups-why-are-they-conducted/64/

THE DEADLINE FOR CLOUD AND HIS HERD/FAMILY IS 7/11/08

SLATED TO BE "REMOVED" (DESTROYED) BY

THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR'S

BUREAU OF LAND MANGEMENT

Please write!

Please forward and ask everyone to do the same. We must stop this atrocity.

Deadline is July 11th.

This is the most important letter I have ever written you in our fight to preserve Cloud’s herd in the Pryor Mountains . The wild horses need your help.

The BLM has issued the Draft Herd Management Area Plan (HMAP) and the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) calling for a drastic population reduction that would take the herd down to an unsustainable level. The plan calls for just 90-120 adult horses one year and older to remain in their homeland.

The HMAP, if adopted, will dictate the management of the Pryor Mountain Wild Horses for a minimum of 5-10 years. In reality, this current plan could be in effect for 20 years or more (the last HMAP amendment was signed in 1992). By that time the Pryor horses as we know them will be just a memory.

Removals of wild horses will concentrate on these groups in rank order:

1. Wild horses of any age that don’t look Spanish.

2. Wild horses that are no longer reproducing that have already contributed to the gene pool by successfully reproducing. Ironically, infertility drugs continue to be administered to older mares to keep them from reproducing. The BLM reason given for infertility application on these mares was to increase their life span. Now, BLM is saying there are “too many old horses” and they must go. (Click here for a photo gallery of some of the wonderful older horses falling in this category.)

3. Wild horses under five years old.

4. Wild horses older than 11 years. (Cloud and Velvet and most of the band stallions and lead mares fall in this category.)

5. Horses between 5-10 years of age.

This list includes every wild horse currently living on the Pryors. All are potential targets for removal.

The BLM removals disregard the social structure and stability of the families on the mountain. Any horse could be removed regardless of the key roles they play as band stallions or lead mares. Most of these leaders have reproduced and are over 10 years of age, making them prime targets for removal.

Why such a drastic plan? BLM claims that portions of the range are in a declining condition. They rely on two studies for this claim: the NRCS study conducted 2001-2002 during the worst drought in many decades; and a BLM assessment conducted in 2007. However, no raw data has been made available from the 2007 assessment to the public. And so, the public must take BLM conclusions at face value with no proof of current declining range conditions.

It is hard to believe the BLM assessment considering the current conditions in Southern Montana and Northern Wyoming . I have never seen it greener. Long time local residents tell us that it has not looked as beautiful in decades. Many told us they have never seen the range looking this great. (click here for key talking points in your letter to BLM.)

Now is the time to unite and speak out loud and clear on behalf of these beautiful animals and their spectacular homeland. We will not allow the BLM to ravage the herd as they have others in the West. Please tell all your friends to help us. Send this to your address book. Not just horse fans or Cloud fans but all people who value freedom and beauty should be concerned with this cruel and destructive plan.

Send your comments to the following. The deadline is July 11th:

MT_WildHorse@ blm.gov

The subject line must contain “Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range/Territory Preliminary Environmental Assessment and Draft HMAP”

You can mail your comments to:

Jared Bybee, State Wild Horse and Burro Specialist

BLM-Billings Field Office,

5001 Southgate Drive

Billings, MT 59101

Call the Montana U.S. Senators today. Calls are by far the most important way to influence them. Then write and email. But, please call. Ask your friends and family to do the same. These are toll free numbers to the Senators:

MT-U.S. Senator Max Baucus (http://baucus. senate.gov/ contact/index. cfm)

511 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington DC , 20510

1-800-332-6106

Mt-U.S. Senator Jon Tester (http://tester. senate.gov/ Contact/)

204 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington DC , 20510

1-866-554-4403 Ask to speak with either Tracy Stone Manning or Bill Lombardi

BLM Director Jim Caswell (James_Caswell@ blm.gov)

1849 C Street NW

Washington DC , 20040

202-208-3801

Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne (webteam@ios. doi.gov)

Executive Secretariat

MS 7229

1849 C Street NW

Washington DC 20240

202-208-3100

Many of us know these animals as individuals with lives and families. Their fate hangs by a thread at this moment in time. Please do everything you can to prevent the destruction of Cloud's herd.

Happy trails,

Ginger Kathrens

Volunteer Executive Director

The Cloud Foundation

www.thecloudfoundation.org/

PS: Cloud has a new grandson who looks very much like him and we named him “Cloud’s Image”- he is a doll. Will he live in freedom? Perhaps, because of his unique color, but who knows? There are 20 other darling foals atop the mountain, including Firestorm’s new filly and Bolder’s first foal (both Cloud grand-daughters) . Flint also has a beautiful three-year-old grulla mare, Feldspar.

[hayforhorses - The Food Angel]

HORRIBLE!!!! Absolutely horrible!

I will certainly write some letters...and, I will call the Senators....hope everyone else does, too, because this is July 11th, only 12 days from now and mail takes a few days...

Aimee

[bridgetah]

I'll write to my reps today - Boxer, Feinstein, Barbara Lee, as well as Pelosi, even though I'm not in her district. This is in addition to the people Kathrens listed.

I send emails, followed by pre-stamped post cards.

[emjay]

sick, sad, and sick again. makes me so frustrated.

[MustangAppy]

d**n, my Paladin is off that range...Cloud and Pal's dad Plenty Coupes were fighting in that film. The BLM keeps trying to reduce that herd, but it is a wild horse RESERVE, not BLM land, they are simply tasked with managing it.

[bridgetah]

I called the SF offices for Feinstein, Boxer & Pelosi. Here are the numbers:

Boxer: [phone]
Feinstein: [phone]
Pelosi [phone] - If you are not a constituent, you will be transferred to the "Speaker of the House" line.

I also called Barbara Lee and Sen. Baucus.

I did point out to the young man I spoke w/in Baucus's office, that we horsewomen and mustang fanciers worked very hard and contributed to the defeat Sen. "Slaughter Rider" Conrad Burns(MT) and Rep. Richard Pombo (CA). The internet is a wonderful tool and the horses ARE important.

Tester defeated Burns, thanks to our help, whether he knows it or not. He owes the horse people something. The number listed does not work.

Modified to add that I called Tester's office at 1-[phone]. I was told that they have been receiving calls about this. Let's keep it up.

[angelinmydreams]

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!! I have followed his story since it came up on PBS. That is so sad! Time to start e-mailing. He is the poster child for wild horses.

[qhflicka]

Here is a link to the plans the BLM have for the Pryor horse herd.
Photos, maps etc too.
www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/mt/field_offices/billings/horseeas/2008.Par.13838.File.dat/2008gatherEA.pdf

[vadnaisarabians]

Sent my letter via email. Will call the office numbers tomorrow.

[sundancer]

Here's the link to the online petition to save Cloud's herd:

www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-cloud-and-his-wild-herd

I signed it this morning. We only have until July 11 to get 5,000 signatures! Please link to whatever other forums you think would give it the most exposure! TIME IS RUNNING OUT!

I have 2 BLM fillies myself. They are wonderful, smart, curious, affectionate horses! I cannot IMAGINE the horror that will descend upon Cloud's herd if the BLM goes ahead with their "management plan". Think of all the folks on our board and others who have mustangs or who have trained mustangs! THIS MUST NOT HAPPEN!

Thank you for your time (off soapbox now). Here's the link to the Cloud foundation also:
www.thecloudfoundation.org/news.html

[bcfilly]

I've created a facebook group in the hopes of getting more signatures/raising awareness.

www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=27186750148

(have basically just copied and pasted, hope that's okay )

Please add info, news and photos to group & let's save this herd!