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Updated October 14, 2020
Wild Horse and Burro Management: Overview of Costs
Background
changes have been opposed by others as potentially leading
The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971
to the destruction of healthy animals and limited by agency
(the 1971 Act, 16 U.S.C. §§1331 et seq.) provides for
policies and use of appropriated funds.
management and protection of wild horses and burros by
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM, Department of the
Population
Interior) and Forest Service (FS, Department of
Achieving and maintaining the number of wild horses and
Agriculture). Federal management of wild horses and
burros at the national AML has challenged BLM for
burros has generated controversy, proposals for change, and
decades. BLM has set the upper limit for AML for all wild
lawsuits for years. Issues for Congress include the adequacy
horse and burro herds on its lands at 26,770. As of March
of authorities to achieve the appropriate management level
2020, the number of animals on BLM lands significantly
(AML) on the range, effectiveness of agency management,
exceeded this figure—95,114, or more than triple the AML.
and sufficiency of funding.
BLM manages wild horses and burros in 177 herd
management areas (HMAs) in 10 western states. Nearly half
Overview of Authority
of all the HMAs and more than half of the animals are
Under the 1971 Act, BLM and FS are to inventory horse and
located in Nevada. Five other states each have at least 5,000
burro populations periodically to determine AMLs. The
animals: California, Wyoming, Arizona, Oregon, and Utah.
agencies are authorized to remove animals exceeding the
range’s carrying capacity to achieve AML. When the
Thousands of additional animals —47,845 as of August
pertinent Secretary determines that an overpopulation exists
2020—are being managed by BLM off-range. They were
and that it is necessary to remove excess animals, the law
removed from rangelands exceeding the AML. Most are
requires the following actions (16 U.S.C. §1333(b)(2)).
being cared for in long-term (pasture) holding facilities for
First, the Secretary “shall order old, sick, or lame animals to
the remainder of their lives, although others are being
be destroyed in the most humane manner possible.” Second,
readied for adoption or sale in short-term (corral) facilities.
the Secretary is directed to remove healthy animals for
private adoption. Third, the Secretary shall cause excess
For FS lands, the AML is roughly 2,300 for 2020. The
animals “to be destroyed in the most humane and cost
number of wild horses and burros on FS lands—about
efficient manner possible.” However, since 1982 the
8.400—is more than three times the AML. The animals are
agencies have not used this authority to destroy healthy
on 34 active territories in 7 states, with about two-thirds of
animals. Most recently, the FY2020 appropriations law
them managed jointly with BLM. Given the larger
(P.L. 116-94, Division D, §419) prohibited the use of funds
populations on BLM lands, most of the public and
for destruction of healthy animals and for sales of animals
congressional focus has been on BLM management.
that result in processing into commercial products. Most
appropriations laws since FY1988 have contained a similar
Wild Horse and Burro Program Costs
prohibition on BLM funding.
Whether funding levels have been appropriate to care for
wild horses and burros, reach AML, and reduce long-term
Over the decades, laws have included additional authorities
budgetary needs has been unclear. Program costs would
to reduce excess animals. In 2004, for instance, P.L. 108-
vary based on the overall management strategy adopted and
447, §142 authorized animal sales, including to
the particular programs emphasized. For instance, a BLM
report to Congress in 2018 presented different options with
direct the agencies to sell, “without limitation,” excess
varying associated costs.
animals (or remains) that are more than 10 years old or
offered for adoption unsuccessfully at least three times;
BLM Historical Appropriations: FY2000-FY2020
For FY2020, the appropriation for BLM management of
remove a ban on sale of wild horses and burros and their
wild horses and burros was $101.6 million, a 26% increase
remains for processing into commercial products; and
from the FY2019 level ($80.6 million). FY2020 funding
was about 5 times the amount for FY2000 ($20.4 million)
remove criminal penalties for processing the remains of
and a 59% increase over FY2010 ($64.0 million), in
a wild horse or burro into commercial products, if it is
nominal dollars. Figure 1 depicts the annual funding. (FS
sold under the new authority.
appropriations are not separately identifiable.)
These changes have been supported by some as providing a
Since FY2000, appropriations laws periodically have
cost-effective way of helping achieve AML, improving the
provided BLM with additional funding to achieve AML.
health of the animals, protecting range resources, and
For example, BLM received a $14.1 million (69%) increase
restoring a natural ecological balance on federal lands. The
to $34.5 million in FY2001, the largest annual percentage
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Wild Horse and Burro Management: Overview of Costs
increase. The intent was to achieve AML over several years
Issues and Proposals Related to Costs
and, by FY2010, reduce budgetary needs below the FY2001
Concerns over increasing wild horse and burro populations
level. These goals were not fully achieved, although the on-
and program costs have prompted discussions, studies, and
range population declined and AML was nearly reached in
proposals. For instance, in response to congressional
2007. In FY2010, BLM received a $23.4 million (58%)
direction, in May 2020, BLM issued a report to Congress
increase to $64.0 million, the biggest annual dollar
with actions and funding to achieve AML over 15-18 years.
increase. The increase was for activities (e.g., removal of
The emphasis is on removals, placement into private care
animals, population control efforts, and adoptions) to
off-range holding, and fertility control, as well as the costs
achieve AML by 2013 (although this did not occur), and for
of these actions. In the past, destruction of healthy animals
the escalating cost of animal care in long-term holding.
also has been discussed to achieve savings.
Figure 1. BLM Appropriations for Wild Horse and
One question is how to reduce the average cost of adoption.
Burro Management, FY2000-FY2020
The cost to place an animal into private ownership
(in millions of current dollars)
generally exceeds the revenue. Per adoption, BLM typicaly
charges a minimum of $125 per trained animal and $25 per
untrained animal, but the average cost for BLM to adopt (or
sell) is approximately $1,500. This cost includes activities
to make the animals more marketable, such as training,
advertising, and transporting. It does not include the $1,000
incentive BLM has paid individuals for each untrained
animal they adopt (since March 12, 2019). In any case, the
cost of adoptions is considerably less expensive than the
lifetime cost of caring for a horse off-range; BLM estimates
savings of $24,000 per animal.
Source: Figure by CRS, with data primarily provided from BLM.
Another question is whether animals can be moved more
quickly from short-term corral facilities into long-term
FY2019 Expenditures by Activity
pasture facilities to achieve program savings. Long-term
holding typically is used for older and other animals with
BLM uses wild horse and burro funding for a variety of
less potential for adoption or sale; the average cost is about
activities. Expenditures can differ from appropriations in
$2 per animal per day. By comparison, the cost of short-
part due to carry-over and transfer of funds. For FY2019,
term corral facilities is about $5 per day per animal. Short-
expenditures totaled $85.5 million. Figure 2 shows FY2019
term facilities are more expensive due in part to hay costs,
expenditures by activity. Off-range holding accounted for
veterinary services, and farrier services to prepare the
$57.6 million (67%) of total FY2019 expenditures
animals for adoption or sale, and in some cases the costs of
(composed of $30.0 million (35%) for short-term care and
BLM salaried employees.
$27.6 million (32%) for long-term care). The next largest
portion, $11.5 million (13%), was expended for program
A third question is how to improve fertility control to reduce
support and overhead. Placement into private care, through
herd sizes and costs. The most common method costs
adoptions and sales, was $8.2 million (10%). Another $3.7
roughly $2,500 per mare, including gathering, treatment,
million (4%) was used for gathering animals on the range,
and short-term holding. Under this treatment, an
and $2.0 million (2%) was spent on herd monitoring. The
immunocontraceptive agent—PZP—typically is applied
remaining $2.6 million (3%) was expended for varied
during periodic gathers to remove excess animals from the
purposes (including <1% for fertility control).
range. Mares are captured, treated with PZP, and released to
Figure 2. Expenditures for BLM Wild Horse and Burro
the range. PZP generally is most effective for one year only.
To lower costs, areas of exploration include longer-lasting
Management, FY2019
fertility control and other options, such as sterilization.
(in millions of current dollars)
A fourth question is whether BLM should sell excess
animals without limitations and/or destroy excess healthy
animals to reduce long-term program costs. In past budget
proposals (e.g., FY2020 but not FY2021), President Trump
called for using all authorities granted under the 1971 Act
by removing general agency sale limitations (intended in
part as safeguards against slaughter) and congressional
prohibitions on using funds to destroy healthy animals. As
mentioned above, Congress retained these prohibitions for
FY2020. Such proposals have been controversial, rejected
by some who oppose destruction or support alternative
Source: Figure by CRS, with data primarily provided from BLM.
management methods.
Carol Hardy Vincent, Specialist in Natural Resources
Policy
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Wild Horse and Burro Management: Overview of Costs
IF11060
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