How Climate Change Is Impacting Wild Herds
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
As the climate shifts, so do the challenges facing wild horses and burros on our public lands. From dwindling habitat, and changes on our public lands, these iconic herds are adapting to a landscape that’s rapidly changing.
Photo Credit: Yasmin Tajik
Here are a few examples of how our evolving world climate impacts daily life on the range:
- Unpredictable Weather Patterns: More frequent droughts and extreme storms are disrupting natural rhythms.
- Shifting Vegetation: Climate-driven changes in plant growth are altering grazing patterns.
- Habitat Fragmentation: Climate stress is compounded by loss of habitat to private interests like livestock grazing, which fractures and isolates herds and threatens their genetic diversity.
Despite these challenges, wild horses and burros can be powerful allies in ecosystem resilience. Their grazing habits help reduce wildfire fuel loads, their movement spreads native plant seeds, they can uncover water sources, and their presence supports a natural balance on the range.
Through science-backed, climate-informed strategies and a strong defense of their habitats, we’re building a future where wild herds remain wild, free, and ecologically vital.
Read More About Our Climate Commitment
Our land conservancy project is an example of how our team remains actively engaged in projects aimed at restoring habitats for wild horses and burros. We’re improving water sources, planting native vegetation, and stewarding the land to keep wild herds safe, healthy, and living in ecological balance with other wildlife.
As always, thank you for standing with us — and for following along with our work to conserve and protect America’s wild herds.
American Wild Horse Conservation