Terri Farley

Monday, August 30, 2010

Death in a Remote Area

photo by Mark Terrell
Dear Readers,
I was going back over BLM's daily notes on the Twin Peaks round-up to compare what I saw on August 16th with what they reported and I read the account below.

Sunday, August 15
Summary: Fifth day at this trap site yielded fewer horses.
Animals gathered: 37
Animals shipped: 2
Gather related animal deaths: 0
Cause: none
Non-gather related animal deaths: 1
Cause: With BLM concurrence, an older stud with preexisting injury to knees was euthanized in remote non-gather site by contractor pilot.

With BLM concurrence -- so BLM agreed this execution by a Cattoor pilot was fine
An older stud with preexisting injury to knees -- how did the pilot know this was a preexisting injury? From the air, how did he know it wasn't a stone bruise changing the horse's gait? How did he even know the horse was a stallion?
in remote non-gather site -- so what was he doing there? If it wasn't a gather site? Was the horse shot from the air?

There are just too many questions here.
These horses do not belong to BLM or the Cattoor family. They belong to you and me.
If you can witness a round-up, please do.
The horses need you,
Terri

Labels: BLM, Cattoor pilot, Twin Peaks round up

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Posted by Terri Farley @ 7:26 PM 10 comments

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Twin Peaks

The range used to be an oasis for me. I could sit all day without seeing another human face and listen to peace. A home to deer, to birds sharing their many songs and the flash of their wings overhead, and of course to wild horses.

My trip to the Twin Peaks rangelands yesterday was different. The only deer I saw was smashed in the middle of a rural road ripped wider by earth moving vehicles making way. If birdsong soared from the cliffs and fields, it was smothered by the racket of man, but I think the birds escaped, because the only flash overhead was the glint of sun on helicopter rotars as they harrassed bands of wild horses into a trap where their lives changed forever.

I love Nevada, but I am a fourth generation Californian and I watched my home state's wild horses disappear.

The bands zig-zagged down a hillside, planning escape with each step. A black mustang forged to the front. A blaze faced black followed, and the herd surged after them, only to be cut off by the metal sound and fuel smell of a low swooping moster. A family trio lagged, then doubled-back under the belly of the chopper, but the mare's bravery gave way to protectiveness when her foal stumbled, the helicopter closed in and years of experience told her safety was with the herd.

Oh, lucky birds to be able to take wing and escape. Not one of these horses was so fortunate.

The herd soon entered the the jute arms of the trap, and their lives changed forever.

BLM photo of of Twin Peaks Appaloosas

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The horses were black dots from the far-off space where "observers" had been stationed by BLM, but binoculars and serious zoom lenses brought the story closer.

In the next few blog entries, I'll share what I experienced, from "high alert" BLM rangers, to the bloody chaos of the stallion pen and one caring BLM staffer doing her best for humans and horses alike.

Labels: BLM, California, Twin Peaks round up, wild horses

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Posted by Terri Farley @ 9:10 AM 2 comments