Hello and Happy Thursday!
There is so much happening with our TRNP herd. We don’t want American Wild Horse Campaign’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) documents to get lost. Those FOIA documents have shown that Theodore Roosevelt National Park and Colorado State University KNOW that they permanently sterilized 19 out of 24 mares that were given GonaCon in 2009 and again in 2013. To add insult to injury, Theodore Roosevelt National Park was asked this question SPECIFICALLY during their 2 “civic engagement meetings” with the public. Both times they lied to us! You can read all of this in AWHC’s blog: https://americanwildhorsecampaign.org/media/foia-records-raise-questions-sterility-theodore-roosevelt-mares
There have been 8 live births in Theodore Roosevelt National Park this year. So some are saying “See! The mares ARE NOT permanently sterilized! Babies are being born!”
I want to share again something that I shared with a reporter a few weeks ago:
In 2020 there were 42 live births. NOTE: 2020 was the year they decided to start giving EVERY female horse 8 months old and up birth control.
In 2021 there were 26 live births
In 2022 there were 15 live births.
Yes, some mares are foaling. 8 to be exact so far.
What about these mares who have not foaled in years?
- 2019 Filly Amargo
- 2007 Mare Angel (last foaled in 2020)
- 2019 Filly Anisak
- 2019 Filly Antice
- 2019 Filly Archer
- 2017 Mare Aurora (last foaled in 2020)
- 2007 Mare Autumn (last foaled in 2020)
- 2006 Mare Betty Blue (last foaled in 2019)
- 2005 Mare Blondie (has not foaled since we started documenting this herd in 2016)
- 2007 Mare Blue (has not foaled since we started documenting this herd in 2016)
- 2014 Mare Blue Velvet (has not foaled since 2016)
- 2000 Mare Busy Blue (has not foaled since we started documenting this herd in 2016)
- 2010 Mare Cassie (has not foaled since we started documenting this herd in 2016)
- 2007 Mare Cedar (has not foaled since we started documenting this herd in 2016)
- 2010 Mare Cowgirl (has not foaled since we started documenting this herd in 2016)
- 2006 Mare Daisy (has not foaled since we started documenting this herd in 2016)
- 2013 Mare Dawn (has not foaled since 2016)
- 2006 Mare Diamond (has not foaled since we started documenting this herd in 2016)
- 2014 Mare Dixie (has not foaled since 2016)
- 2006 Mare Ember’s Girl (has not foaled since 2020)
- 2014 Mare Emmylou (has not foaled since we started documenting this herd in 2016)
- 2006 Mare Escape (has not foaled since we started documenting this herd in 2016)
- 2011 Mare Esprit (has not foaled since we started documenting this herd in 2016)
- 2013 Mare Faith (has not foaled since 2020)
- 2000 Mare Flame (has not foaled since 2020)
- 2004 Mare Freckles (has not foaled since 2020)
- 2011 Mare Juniper (has not foaled since we started documenting this herd in 2016)
- 2010 Mare Lakota (has not foaled since we started documenting this herd in 2016)
- 2004 Mare Little Brother’s Girl (has not foaled since we started documenting this herd in 2016)
- 2007 Mare Maddie (has not foaled since we started documenting this herd in 2016)
- 2007 Mare Maggie (has not foaled since we started documenting this herd in 2016)
- 2013 Mare Mischief (has not foaled since 2016)
- 2005 Mare Mist (has not foaled since 2020)
- 2014 Mare Opal (has not foaled since we started documenting this herd in 2016)
- 2014 Mare Paige (has not foaled since 2019)
- 2014 Mare Paisley (has not foaled since we started documenting this herd in 2016)
- 2001 Mare Pale Lady (has not foaled since we started documenting this herd in 2016)
- 2018 Mare Patience
- 2014 Mare Penny (has not foaled since 2020 – her foal “failed to thrive”)
- 2004 Mare Rosie (has not foaled since 2019)
- 2006 Mare Ruby (has not foaled since 2020)
- 2014 Mare Skipper (has not foaled since 2020 – her foal “failed to thrive”)
- 2007 Mare Smokey (has not foaled since 2018)
- 2001 Mare Snip’s Gray (has not foaled since we started documenting this herd in 2016)
- 2005 Mare Spotted Blue (has not foaled since we started documenting this herd in 2016)
- 2005 Mare Sundance (has not foaled since we started documenting this herd in 2016)
- 2001 Mare Tanker (has not foaled since we started documenting this herd in 2016)
- 2014 Mare Taylor (has not foaled since 2020 – her foal “failed to thrive”)
- 2005 Mare Twister (has not foaled since 2018)
- 2014 Mare Valentina (has not foaled since 2017)
- 2010 Mare Whiskey (has not foaled since 2017)
- 2004 Mare Winter (has not foaled since we started documenting this herd in 2016)
We kept off any fillies born from 2020-2022. Some, if not all of them, have probably been given GonaCon.
Also, remember it is believed that 2 doses of GonaCon can lead to permanent sterilization. If you look at when the BLM releases mares, they ALL receive 2 doses of GonaCon before they are released back on the range. That is because based on the experiment on our horses in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, they believe 2 doses will lead to permanent sterilization.
8 live births, 2 deaths so far in 2023. 52 mares that have not foaled in 3 years or more.
We think you can draw your own conclusions on the effectiveness of GonaCon as a STERILANT. The photo below is from the documents AWHC received from their FOIA request. The handwritten notes are from Paul Griffin from the BLM. These notes are records of meetings between Paul Griffin and Blake McCann from TRNP and Dan Baker from CSU.
On May 28th, Ginger Fedak from In Defense of Animals will be joining us for a Horse Talk. We had the pleasure of meeting Ginger at the Save Our Wild Horses conference in DC. Ginger lives near Colorado State University and as a research scientist, she was invited to MANY meetings about CSU and their experiment on our TRNP horses. Make sure you are signed up for this Horse Talk! Our Horse Talks are FREE but we do ask you to register in advance: https://secure.everyaction.com/p-zNKba5F0GkxUUc6eHuwQ2
Thank you for your support and have a GREAT day!
Chasing Horses Wild Horse Advocates is committed to advocating for a wild horse management plan and protection for these unique wild horses that call Theodore Roosevelt National Park home! We are fighting for a management plan that is guided by science especially when it comes to decisions regarding the removal of horses and the administration of birth control. Many other wild horse management plans have proven to be successful with their science-based plans. We are asking for the same for this amazing group of wild horses that call Theodore Roosevelt National Park home.
HELP US KEEP OUR BILLBOARD UP!!
