The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) gather contractor began Tuscarora emergency rescue gather operations at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, and by 8:30 a.m. had gathered approximately 107 excess wild horses.

BLM staff, specialists and on-site U.S. Department of Agriculture veterinarian are

treating the animals, which are suffering from water starvation/dehydration due to a lack of water.

After U.S. District Court Judge, Larry R. Hicks, Reno, Nev., issued a decision ruling on Friday, July 16 in favor of the BLM and rescinded a temporary restraining order, the BLM gather contractor immediately reinitiated gather operations, and brought in 54 wild horses, which are suffering from water starvation/dehydration.

One foal among the 54 wild horses was suffering from extreme water starvation/dehydration, and was humanely euthanized on Saturday.

The remaining 53 animals appear to be stabilizing.

The gather contractor will continue to gather as conditions permit.

The BLM also is conducting fixed wing aerial reconnaissance to locate the bands

and document the condition of the wild horses.

BLM field staff and specialists reported on Friday, July 16 that the condition of the wild horses within the Owyhee Herd Management Area is critical and declining rapidly.

For horses that are already down and unable to be trailed and are not responding to the helicopter, the BLM will attempt to humanely euthanize those animals, as recommended by the Review Team in their interim report to BLM Director Bob Abbey.

The BLM continues to haul water via water tanker to water troughs and a reservoir located within one-fourth to one-half mile of the north Owyhee horses yet only a small group have watered based on tracks in the mud.

To date, the BLM has hauled more than 20,000 gallons of water.

The BLM on Saturday shipped 75 studs to the Gunnison Prison Wild Horse Training Facility at the Central Utah Correctional Facility, and 37 mares and foals to the Palomino Valley Center (PVC) regional adoption facility, located 20 miles north of Sparks.

The animals shipped were gathered on Saturday, July 10.

These excess wild horses have stabilized from water starvation/dehydration, and the BLM staff, specialists and on-site veterinarian determined it was safe to transport the animals.

The Tuscarora gather area encompasses the Owyhee, Rock Creek, and Little

Humboldt Herd Management Areas (HMAs) located in northern Elko County, Nev.

The BLM initiated gather operations within the Owyhee HMA on Saturday, July

10, and gathered 228 excess wild horses, but suspended operations on Sunday

after it discovered that the wild horses had been suffering from a lack of

water prior to being gathered.

Since gather operations began, 13 horses have died from water starvation/dehydration-related complications -- not as a result of gather-related activities.

Based on necropsies of the dead horses by the on-site veterinarian, the BLM has determined the mortalities were a direct result of a lack of water in the immediate areas occupied by the horses before they were gathered.

One horse was euthanized shortly after being gathered due to a fractured leg that occurred in the temporary holding corrals.