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American Wild Horse Conservation

How Climate Change Is Impacting Wild Herds

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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.

https://prod.cdn.everyaction.com/images/van/EA/EA002/1/67303/images/awhc-yasmin.jpeg

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

The calm before the cruelty…

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:

Right now, the wild landscape is full of new life as foals are born and taking their first steps on our vast public lands. Unfortunately, this peace won’t last long.

Photo Credit: © PhotoAdvocacy

In just three months, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will launch its summer assault on our wild herds — with helicopters set to descend on unsuspecting wild horses, burros, and their foals across the West.

This summer alone, thousands of horses and burros are slated for capture and permanent removal from their homes. By October of this year, the BLM will have rounded up nearly 11,000 wild horses and burros. The majority of the roundups will deploy helicopters, despite the trauma and loss they inflict on wild families.

That’s why AWHC’s Observation Fund needs your urgent support. Our team is preparing now to send photographers and videographers to the first roundups of the season — to document, expose, and advocate against these cruel operations.

FUEL OUR OBSERVATION FUND

Without public eyes on the ground, these helicopter roundups happen in some of the most remote parts of the West — far from scrutiny and accountability. Our observers often stand alone, bearing witness to cruelty that would otherwise go unseen.

Photo Credit: © PhotoAdvocacy

And yet, in the past year, our documentation has moved mountains — drawing national press coverage, prompting bipartisan action in Congress, and mobilizing over 100,000 advocates to demand a ban on dangerous helicopter roundups.

We cannot stop now.

The first major helicopter operation after the foaling season will be in the Wyoming Checkerboard. AWHC has been litigating against the BLM’s actions in Wyoming for 10 years and we’re currently awaiting a critical 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling to decide the fate of these horses.

3,624 wild horses will lose freedom forever.
Untold numbers will be injured or die in the process.

Will you make a gift today to power our observation efforts before the helicopters return?

CHIP IN TO PROTECT OUR WILD FOALS

This is our window to act. With your help, we’ll be ready.

In solidarity,

American Wild Horse Conservation

The surprising ways wild horses shape the land

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:

As we continue our Earth Month celebrations, today, we want to highlight how wild horses and burros play a vital role in maintaining healthy ecosystems and supporting the biodiversity that keeps our planet in balance!

Photo by Tandin Chapman

Here are just a few of the ways they make a difference: 

Vegetation Management
Through their natural grazing behavior, wild horses help manage plant overgrowth, keeping grasslands healthy and balanced. Unlike livestock, they can consume dry, low-nutrient vegetation, such as cheatgrass, that could otherwise act as dangerous fuel for wildfires.

Supporting Soil Health
As they travel across the terrain, wild horses help aerate the soil, which promotes plant growth and nutrient cycling. By digesting and breaking down slow-decomposing plant matter, they also encourage carbon storage in the soil—making them an important ally in combating climate change!

Water Resource Impact
In dry environments, wild burros have been shown to increase water availability. They often uncover underground water sources that become critical for other wildlife as well, boosting the ecosystem’s resilience in the face of drought and desertification.

Promoting Biodiversity
By opening up dense landscapes and preserving water access, wild horses and burros help create and maintain habitats for other species. Their role in the restoration of ecosystems with large herbivores is gaining recognition as a key part of global conservation efforts.

Wild horses are more than just a symbol of the West—they’re active participants in the stewardship of its environment. In honor of Earth month, we hope you’ll join us in raising awareness about the ecological benefits of keeping these majestic animals wild and free.

Please share this email with your friends and family to spread the word about all the great ways our wild herds are helping to protect our planet!

Thank you,

Team AWHC

The Looming Fight to Save Wyoming’s Rare Curly Mustangs

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:

Wyoming’s Checkerboard is home to something truly extraordinary: wild curly-haired mustangs, a rare and mysterious lineage of horses with thick, curly coats, manes, and tails. Roaming in the Salt Wells Creek and White Mountain Herd Managment Areas (HMAs), their origins remain a scientific curiosity and a wild legacy they still carry.


Photo by Carol Walker

But this living piece of history is now at risk of disappearing forever.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plans to slash the population of the iconic Adobe Town herd, and even worse, completely eradicate the Great Divide Basin and Salt Wells Creek HMAs. If this plan moves forward, every last horse in those HMAs faces removal and lifetime confinement.


Photo by Carol Walker

Worse still, this initiative isn’t about what’s best for the land — it’s about livestock.

The BLM’s population limits are based on allocating 91% of available forage in these areas to private cattle and sheep, leaving almost no room for wild horses to coexist.

We are now in a critical moment. The future of these herds — and the survival of the curly mustangs’ unique genetic legacy — hinges on AWHC’s ongoing legal battle for their freedom and public outcry.

Here are a few things you can do right now:
Learn more about this critical issue. Here’s a great article to get started!
Share this email with others who care.
Follow American Wild Horse Conservation (@freewildhorses on Instagram, X and Facebook) for more updates on how to take action for our cherished wild herds.

Together, we can speak up for the Wyoming Curlies — and ensure these rare horses remain wild and free for generations to come.

Read More via Cowboy State Daily →

Thank you, as always, for your support of American wild horses and burros!

Stay wild,

Team AWHC

6 years. 0 helicopter roundups. Lives saved.

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:

Six years ago today, American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC) relaunched the world’s largest humane fertility control program for wild horses on Nevada’s Virginia Range!

Since then, our team, powered by an incredible group of volunteers and supporters like you, has been working tirelessly to protect wild horses with humane conservation solutions that keep wild horses wild!

So today, we’re celebrating what we’ve accomplished together:

67% reduction in the foaling rate in 2024 compared to 2020
2,692 individual mares treated
0 helicopter roundups
The Virginia Range wild horses still roam free on the range

All of this is possible thanks to PZP, a scientifically proven fertility control vaccine that is administered remotely. It’s safe, reversible, and doesn’t interfere with the horses’ natural behaviors or family bonds — allowing them to live wild, as nature intended.

This lifesaving program has changed countless lives — including Zinnia’s, the mare we told you about last week who’s stayed healthy and free on the range for years thanks to our fertility control program. Through stories like hers, we’re proving that there is a better way to manage wild horse populations.

We’re working to expand this humane model to more herds across the West. But we can’t do it without your support. Will you make a donation today in honor of 6 years of keeping wild horses wild on the Virginia Range?

DONATE NOW

Thank you for being part of this movement.

With gratitude,

American Wild Horse Conservation

This Earth Month, help protect wild horses and the planet they call home

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:

Many people know about Earth Day, but did you know that April is Earth Month?

Over the next few weeks, people around the world will be coming together to raise awareness about issues facing our planet and taking action to protect it. At American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC), our contribution to this global effort starts right here at home by preserving America’s wildest landscapes and the iconic species who call them home.

According to the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) own range data, much of the public land wild horses inhabit is in declining condition — not because of the horses, but due to livestock overgrazing, land mismanagement, and drought.

That’s why in 2023, we launched a bold initiative to deepen our conservation work: the Land Conservancy Project. This pioneering effort focuses on land acquisition, habitat restoration, and humane wild horse management, all with one goal: to preserve key habitats so wild horses and burros can live wild and free, in balance with other wildlife and the land.

POWER THE LAND TRUST

Foal roaming the Land Preserve – Photo by John T. Humphrey

But what does this look like in action?

In Nevada’s breathtaking Carson Valley, we acquired over 3,300 acres of prime habitat, now known as the Fish Springs Land Preserve — a safe haven for the federally protected Fish Springs wild horse herd, along with a rich diversity of native wildlife.

On this land, our dedicated team is:

  • Tracking wild horse movements to better understand their impact on the ecosystem
  • Restoring meadows, creeks, and springheads to support healthy soil and clean water
  • Reseeding native grasses to help wild horses and other species thrive
  • Using wildlife cameras to document peaceful coexistence between horses and local wildlife
  • And more

Through this vital work, AWHC is setting a new standard for wild horse conservation, proving that it’s possible to protect these animals while also healing and sustaining the land they depend on. That’s why in honor of Earth Month, we’re asking for your help to grow this vision.

Whether you give $10 or $100, your support fuels real, on-the-ground conservation that makes a lasting impact — for wild horses, for future generations, and for the planet we call home. Will you make a gift to help us build a future where wild horses, their fellow wildlife, and the land they inhabit can thrive together?

POWER THE LAND TRUST

Thank you,

American Wild Horse Conservation

Shop Sustainably + Support Wild Herds… for just $1

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:

We have exciting news:

American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC) has been selected as the beneficiary of Buffalo Exchange’s 2025 Earth Day $1 Sale on Saturday, April 19!

This incredible annual event is a unique way to shop sustainably while making a direct impact on wild horse and burro conservation.

Here’s how it works: On this special day, every Buffalo Exchange store nationwide (including outlets) will offer a specially curated selection of clothing for just $1 per item — and 100% of the proceeds will go directly to AWHC. The sale starts at the store’s opening hours and is cash only. The $1 items go quickly, so grab your cash and be sure to get there early in the day!

Your support will help us continue our critical work protecting and preserving American wild horses and burros on our public lands.

So mark your calendar, spread the word, and get ready to shop for a cause! Learn more here:

AWHC x Buffalo Exchange

Thank you for standing with us to protect America’s iconic wild horses and burros!

With gratitude,

American Wild Horse Conservation

Happy April Foal’s Day! Say hello to baby Neptune

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:

Happy April Foal’s Day!

We have some very special foal news to share with you this April Foal’s Day — please join us in welcoming Neptune, the newest addition to the wild herds of the Fish Springs Land Preserve in Nevada’s breathtaking Carson Valley!

Photo by JT Humphrey

Named after the god of water — and horses — Neptune also carries a deeper meaning. In astrology, Neptune represents compassion. And if there’s anything wild foals like Neptune need right now, it’s compassion and care.

Neptune was born free, on American Wild Horse Conservation’s Fish Springs Land Preserve, to a family herd that is safe — thanks in large part to supporters like you, our amazing partners at the Chantecaille Conservation Foundation, and the tireless work of wildlife photographer and land manager John T. Humphrey, whose love for these animals radiates through every photo he captures.

But not all foals are as lucky. Since 1971, wild horses and burros have lost over 22 million acres of their federally designated habitat. This heartbreaking loss is one of the biggest threats to their long-term survival. 

That’s why AWHC launched our Land Conservancy Project in 2023 — to permanently protect critical land near wild horse habitat, where wild horses roam freely in coexistence with the wildlife in the area.

Horses roaming the Fish Springs Preserve – JT Humphrey

POWER OUR LAND TRUST

Thanks to your support, our dedicated team is on the ground every day — tracking herds, restoring habitats, and learning how wild horses and local wildlife coexist on the land. Wildlife cameras and field data help us understand herd behavior and guide our conservation work, ensuring the land remains healthy for generations to come.

But we’re not stopping here.

In celebration of April Foal’s Day, will you help us expand this vision and protect more safe havens for wild foals like Neptune?

POWER OUR LAND TRUST

Thank you, and happy April Foal’s Day!

The AWHC Team

One wild mare’s narrow escape from a roundup

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:

In 2022, a helicopter drove 36 wild horses toward a trap in Utah’s Cedar Mountain Herd Management Area.

Among them was a beautiful bay pinto mare named Venus.

As the horses were pushed closer and closer to the trap, a few made a last-second decision that changed their lives: they broke away — charging into the mountains, away from the sound of the helicopter and the threat of captivity.

Venus was one of them.

She and three others managed to escape, surviving the helicopter roundup that stole 638 other wild horses from the wild. These four were never captured. And today, Venus still roams free with her stallion, Sirius, and her 2024 foal.

Photo by Tandin Chapman

But her story isn’t just one of luck — it’s a testament to the possibility of a more humane future. AWHC is working to ensure helicopter roundups like the one Venus survived don’t happen again in the Cedar Mountain HMA. And now, we implement a fertility control program in the HMA — a science-based, non-invasive, and effective way to manage wild horses, including Venus, without helicopters or roundups.

This program is supported by a federal grant. But our other fertility control programs aren’t.

Right now, our flagship program in Nevada’s Virginia Range — the one that keeps Zinnia wild — relies entirely on people like you. And we need your help to keep it going.

We set a goal to raise $30,000 by midnight tonight, March 30th — enough to fund 1,000 PZP vaccines. Each one costs just $30. And each one is a lifeline. We’re just over halfway to our goal. Can you chip in to help us reach our goal and power this critical program?

$30 → HELPS 1 HORSE
$60 → HELPS 2 HORSES
$150 → HELPS 5 HORSES
$300 → HELPS 10 HORSES
DONATE ANOTHER AMOUNT →

Thank you.

Team AWHC

P.S. We’ve almost reached 100,000 signatures for our petition demanding the federal government halt helicopter roundups! If you haven’t already, can you take a moment to add your name now to help us reach this incredible milestone?

Your support helps us protect wild mares like Zinnia

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:

Zinnia is a nearly 9-year-old wild mare who calls Nevada’s Virginia Range home.

Strong, resilient, and wise, she’s lived her whole life roaming wild and free on the range. But in recent years, things have been changing around her. Residential development has started to eat away at the edges of her territory, pushing her and other wild horses further into the hills in search of safer ground.

For a wild mare, these changes — on top of the strain of year-after-year pregnancies — can take a serious toll. But thanks to AWHC’s historic Porcine Zona Pellucida (PZP) fertility control program, which is powered by the generosity of supporters like you, Zinnia has been able to stay strong and healthy, without constantly having a foal by her side.

She now lives peacefully roaming the open lands further east with her band — a stallion she’s been with since 2021 and two other mares. Their story, and the many others like it, are a testament that our PZP program works.

Our work on the Virginia Range provides scientific evidence to the public that THERE IS a humane way to manage wild horses that doesn’t require mass roundups, crowded holding pens, or dangerous sterilization surgeries. Today, we’re asking for your help to keep it going.

We’ve set a goal to raise $30,000 by March 30 — enough to fund 1,000 PZP vaccines. Each one costs $30 and helps keep one wild horse safe, wild, and free. Can you chip in to support this lifesaving program so we can protect more horses like Zennia?

$30 → HELPS 1 HORSE

$60 → HELPS 2 HORSES

$150 → HELPS 5 HORSES

$300 → HELPS 10 HORSES

DONATE ANOTHER AMOUNT →

The success of our PZP program in Nevada has been critical in our fight to protect wild horses. And the continued operation of this program helps us to provide lawmakers, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the rest of the public with cold, hard, scientific evidence that supports the legitimacy and efficacy of this humane conservation effort.

Will you make a gift of $30 or more to fund our PZP program so we can continue managing wild horse populations using tried and true fertility control measures?

DONATE TODAY →

Thank you,

Team AWHC

P.S. We’ve almost reached 100,000 signatures for our petition demanding the federal government halt helicopter roundups! If you haven’t already, can you take a moment to add your name now to help us reach this incredible milestone?

In this week’s eNews: Government Slaughter Pipeline Overturned!

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:

This month has brought big wins and big battles for wild horses! In this edition of e-news, we’re diving into the landmark court ruling that vacated the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Adoption Incentive Program and what comes next. We’re also fighting to protect Wyoming’s wild herds in court. Plus, mark your calendars — shop sustainably and support wild horses at Buffalo Exchange’s Earth Day $1 sale! Read on for the latest updates and ways to take action.

Watch: AWHC and Skydog Sanctuary Discuss the Overturning of the Adoption Incentive Program

On March 19th, Amelia Perrin, from American Wild Horse Conservation and Clare Staples, founder of Skydog Sanctuary, joined together to discuss the recent court ruling that shut down the BLM’s Adoption Incentive Program (AIP) and our next steps in promoting responsible wild horse and burro adoptions. This webinar is not one you want to miss!

Watch Now

AWHC in Court for Wyoming’s Wild Horses

On March 18th, AWHC’s attorney, Bill Eubanks of Eubanks and Associates, went head-to-head with lawyers representing the federal government, the State of Wyoming, and the livestock industry at the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver. The case challenges the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) decision to eliminate two million acres of wild horse habitat and wipe out the iconic Salt Wells Creek and Great Divide Basin herds. Read more about the arguments!

Read More

Shop for Wild Horses on April 19th, 2025

AWHC is excited to be the beneficiary of Buffalo Exchange’s 2025 Earth Day $1 Sale on April 19th, 2025! On this day, at all Buffalo Exchange stores, ALL proceeds from a special selection of $1 clothing will go to AWHC to support our mission of conserving America’s wild horses and burros! So save the date and go shopping to protect wild horses.

Read More

Thank you for standing with wild horses,

Team AWHC

The helicopters may be grounded, but wild horses are still at risk.

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

As spring unfolds across the West, wild mares are welcoming new foals into the world. And for the next few months, these precious new lives are safe from helicopter roundups as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) pauses its operations for the foaling season.

But while the roundups may be paused, the crisis facing wild horses and burros is far from over.

More wild horses are warehoused in government holding pens than remain free in the wild. These facilities are overcrowded, inhumane, and costly to taxpayers. Post-roundup trauma leaves captured horses and burros in danger of deadly diseases, mistreatment at the hands of federal contractors, and even euthanasia.

HELP US KEEP FIGHTING FOR WILD HERDS

Our work doesn’t stop just because the helicopters are grounded. Whether we’re in the field, in the courtroom, or on Capitol Hill, we’re fighting every day to protect wild horses free and in the wild, where they belong.

But we can’t do this work without your help. A monthly donation—$5, $10, $15, or any amount you can afford—provides us with the steady support we need to challenge inhumane government policies, expand humane fertility control programs, and push for real conservation solutions. Will you commit to a recurring donation today to help us fight for wild horses and burros year-round?

BECOME A MONTHLY DONOR TODAY

Thank you for standing with us.

American Wild Horse Conservation

Bringing wild horses into the spotlight

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Over the past decade, the struggle of wild horses has gained increasing public attention—in part thanks to American Wild Horse Conservation’s (AWHC) commitment to raising awareness about these iconic animals.  

Our Awareness Fund has been pivotal to this growing success. Over the last few years, and with the support of wild horse champions like you, this Fund has empowered us to bring the issue of wild horse and burro protection into the mainstream by deploying billboards, digital ads, TV commercials, and traditional media hits.

If we’ve learned one thing as an organization, it’s that once people become aware of the plight of wild horses and burros, they are upset and motivated to take action to protect them.

That’s why this year, we’re gearing up for major awareness efforts to reach millions of Americans. Can you chip in today to power our Awareness Fund and help support our ongoing awareness work?

POWER OUR AWARENESS FUND

We know that when people see the heartbreaking reality of wild horse roundups — the terrified herds chased by helicopters, the young foals struggling to keep up, and the families torn apart — they can’t look away.

That’s why raising awareness is one of the most powerful tools we have in this fight. The more people who understand what’s happening on our public lands, the stronger our movement grows. Please, Meredith, chip in to our Awareness Fund today and help us show the world the reality of wild horse roundups!

POWER OUR AWARENESS FUND

Thank you,

Team AWHC

A new chapter for AWHC: American Wild Horse Conservation

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

As our Day of Action comes to a close, I wanted to personally tell you about some big news for AWHC.

You may have noticed something different in the email my team sent you this morning. From this day forward, the American Wild Horse Campaign is now officially American Wild Horse Conservation.

Since our inception, AWHC has engaged in a head-to-head campaign against the federal government and commercial interests to safeguard the majestic wild horses and burros roaming free on our western public lands. But today, AWHC’s mission has expanded beyond the bounds of what can be described as a “campaign.”

AWHC is at the forefront of revolutionizing wild horse and burro protection, both in the U.S. and across the globe. For more than a decade, in addition to demanding change and building a grassroots movement, we have been setting the standard for a new wild horse and burro conservation model.

We have created the first-ever land trust dedicated to wild horse and burro habitat conservation, securing 3,300 acres in Fish Springs, Nevada, as the inaugural project for this new approach.

Habitat improvement on a much more significant scale is our long-term sustainability goal. In the meantime, there are 62,000 wild horses and burros crammed into federal holding facilities who will be joined this year by 20,000 more after a relentless, terrifying helicopter roundup campaign by the federal government.

Fertility control is the in-the-wild conservation solution that addresses the immediate danger to wild horses and burros. That is why we created the world’s leading wild horse fertility control initiative at the Virginia Range in Nevada, proving a new science-based protection model that is humane, cost-effective, and scalable.

We’ve partnered with local organizations to build fertility control programs in Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Herd Management Areas in northwestern Nevada and we are expanding to Utah, working collaboratively with on-range partners to prove darting a large, very wild herd is feasible.

This is the critical step in persuading Congress that true in-the-wild conservation is the viable, scalable alternative to helicopter roundups and the only solution that is backed by science and sound fiscal policy.

AWHC is more than a campaign. AWHC is American Wild Horse Conservation.

As American Wild Horse Conservation, we embody the breadth and depth of our commitment to America’s wild herds. We are not just advocating; we are implementing, studying, and leading the way for humane management. That’s why our first official act under our new name is leading this nationwide Day of Action to support critical legislation that will strengthen protections for wild horses and burros.

So, if you haven’t already, please take a moment to contact your representative in Congress and urge them to cosponsor the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2023-2024, as well as to support adding language to the Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations bill that will redirect funds away from helicopter roundups toward humane fertility control measures. Every voice adds strength to our chorus calling for change.

TAKE ACTION

I am profoundly grateful to all the supporters who have brought us to this pivotal point. Working together, we will realize our shared commitment to safeguard America’s promise to wild horses and burros by ensuring their freedom and protection on our western public lands.

Thank you,

 

 

 

 

 

Suzanne Roy
Executive Director
American Wild Horse Conservation