Programs: Wild Horse and Burro: About the Program: Program Data | Bureau of Land Management (2024)

The Bureau of Land Management manages, protects, and controls wild horses and burros under the authority of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act (as amended by Congress in 1976, 1978, 1996, and 2004). This law authorizes the BLM to remove excess wild horses and burros from the range to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands. The BLM also manages the nation’s public lands for multiple uses, in accordance with the 1976 Federal Land Policy and Management Act. The Bureau manages wild horses and burros as part of this multiple-use mandate.

Below are key statistics related to the Wild Horse and Burro Program. More complete information, including historical figures, can be found as part of annual Public Lands Statistics reported by the BLM. In addition, information on how the Bureau estimates the on-range wild horse and burro population on BLM-managed lands can be found on our Science and Research page.

Download the Wild Horse and Burro Program Infographic

At a glance

Fiscal Year 2023

Download FY2023 Wild Horse and Burro Program Highlights Fact Sheet

Nationwide population estimate: 82,883 wild horses and burros, as of March 1, 2023
Download the full 2023 population estimate data set
Total removed:5,335
Total placed into private care (adoptions, sales, transfers): 8,045
Total fertility control treatments: 720
Total expenditures:$157.828 million

Fiscal Year 2022

Download the FY2022 Wild Horse and Burro Program Highlights Fact Sheet

Nationwide population estimate: 82,384 wild horses and burros, as of March 1, 2022
Download the full 2022 population estimate data set
Total removed:20,193
Total placed into private care (adoptions, sales, transfers): 7,793
Total fertility control treatments: 1,622
Total expenditures:$138.462 million

Fiscal Year 2021

Download the FY2021 Wild Horse and Burro Program Highlights Fact Sheet

Nationwide population estimate:86,189 wild horses and burros, as of March 1, 2021
Download the full 2021 population estimate data set
Total removed:13,666
Total placed into private care: 8,637
Total fertility control treatments: 1,160
Total expenditures:$112.273 million

Population Estimates

The BLM conducts routine population surveysto estimate the number of wild horses and burros roaming BLM-managed lands in the West. To support healthy conditions on public lands, the BLM determines what it calls the Appropriate Management Level (AML), which is the number of wild horses and burros that can thrive in balance with other public land resources and uses. Wild horses and burros that exceed AMLare to be removed from the range, in accordance with the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, as amended. The most recent population estimates as of March 1, 2023are provided below.

See Also

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State	Horses	Burros	Total	Max. AML
Arizona	465	6,205	6,670	1,676
California	4,007	3,013	7,020	2,200
Colorado	1,527	0	1,527	827
Idaho	651	0	651	617
Montana	205	0	205	120
Nevada	44,786	4,482	49,268	12,811
New Mexico	385	0	385	83
Oregon	4,519	54	4,573	2,700
Utah	3,555	201	3,756	1,956
Wyoming	8,828	0	8,828	3,795
Total	68,928	13,955	82,883	26,785

For further details on BLM population estimates,download the complete 2023HA and HMA Dataset(pdf).

Fertility ControlTreatments

Where practical and effective, the BLM applies safe and approved fertility control treatments to wild horses and burros living on public lands as a way to slow herd growth and reduce the need for removing excess animals. In many herds where wild horses are approachable, BLM gets valuable help from volunteers who devote many hours to identifying animals and delivering vaccines by dart. Unfortunately, delivering any vaccine via dart is not a viable option for most wild horse herds because the animals tend to avoid human contact and the vast sizes of most herd management areas make it difficult to locate and approach individual horses. Animals in more remote herds where darting is impractical are first gathered, treated and then released back to their home range.

As more wild horse and burro herds approach appropriate management levels, the BLM intends to increase fertility control treatments to help maintain herds at the target size.

Fiscal Year	PZP	PZP-22	GonaCon	IUD	Total
2023	480	0	240	0	720
2022	530	475	586	31	1,622
2021	673	155	324	8	1,160
2020	563	31	141		735
2019	549	59	52		660
2018	580	110	12		702
2017	422	355			777
2016	334	118	15		467
2015	286	183			469
2014	319	65			384
2013	199	310			509
2012	162	883			1,045

Learn more about the BLM's fertility control and science and research programs.

Removals

Wild horses and burros have virtually no natural predators and their herd sizes can double about every four years. As a result, the BLM removes thousands of animals from the range each year as part of its efforts to control herd sizes.

Fiscal Year	Horses	Burros	Total
2023	4,430	905	5,335
2022	16,971	3,222	20,193
2021	11,748	1,918	13,666
2020	9,181	1,643	10,824
2019	6,126	1,853*	7,979
2018	9,749	1,723	11,472
2017	3,735	474	4,209
2016	2,899	421	3,320
2015	3,093	726	3,819
2014	1,689	168	1,857
2013	4,064	112	4,176
2012	7,242	1,013	8,255

*Includes 2 mules

Adoptions

The BLM offers wild horses and burros that were removed from the range for adoption into private care. Since 1971, the BLM has adopted out more than 290,000 wild horses and burros nationwide. Potential adopters can attend an off-siteadoption event, visit aBLMadoption center, or participate in anOnline Corral Adoptionevent. For general questions on adopting a wild horse or burro, visit theFrequently Asked Questionspage.

Fiscal Year	Horses	Burros	Total
2023	5,115	1,105	6,220
2022	5,515	1,154	6,669
2021	5,698	1,671	7,369
2020	3,311	1,430	4,741
2019	3,774	1,356	5,130
2018	2,459	699	3,158
2017	2,905	612	3,517
2016	2,440	472	2,912
2015	2,331	300	2,631
2014	1,789	346	2,135
2013	2,033	278	2,311
2012	2,232	351	2,583

Sales

In 2004, Congress amended the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act(the so-called "Burns Amendment") to directthe BLM to sell certain wild horses and burros "without limitation" to any willing buyers animals that are either more than 10 years old or have been passed over for adoption at least three times. It has been and remains the policy of the BLM toNOTsell or send any wild horses or burros to slaughterhouses or to "kill buyers."Learn more about theSales Program.

Fiscal Year	Horses	Burros	Total
2023	921	877	1,798
2022	608	490	1,098
2021	717	542	1,259
2020	1,093	326	1,419
2019	1,531	429	1,960
2018	1,201	250	1,451
2017	518	64	582
2016	179	32	211
2015	88	180	268
2014	23	64	87
2013	22	43	65
2012	320	82	402

Transfers

Since 2017, Congress has provided authority to the BLM in its annual appropriations bills to transfer excess wild horses and burros to other government agencies for use as "work animals."

Fiscal Year	Horses	Burros	Total
2023	26	1	27
2022	20	6	26
2021	9	0	9
2020	3	0	3
2019	7	0	7

Animals Trained

In an effort to place more animals into private care, the BLM partners with non-profit organizations, volunteers, and state and county prisons to train wild horses and burros prior to being placed into a good home. Trained animals tend to have a higher rate of adoption by the public than untrained.

Fiscal Year	Horses	Burros	Total
2023	1,120	287	1,407
2022	1,682	378	2,060
2021	1,973	756	2,729
2020
2019	936	515	1,451
2018	1,096	383	1,479
2017	1,430*	324	1,754
2016	1,001	224	1,225
2015	1,020	79	1,099
2014	652	108	760
2013	481	16	497
2012	656	11	667

*Includes one mule

Off-Range Holding

All off-range (unadopted or unsold) wild horses and burros, like those roaming Western public rangelands, are protected by the BLM under the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, as amended. These off-range horses and burros are fed and cared for in either off-rangecorrals or pastures. The BLM maintains a monthly holding facilities report, which can be found by clicking on the Public Lands Stats tab below.Access the most recent FY2024monthly facility report.The total capacity of all BLM off-range holding facilities is82,567 animals.

Data below is current as of January 2024.

Facility Type	Horses	Burros	Total
Off-Range Corrals	20,735	2,512	23,247
Off-Range Pastures	39,920	0	39,920
Public Off-Range Pastures	1,215	0	1,215
Total Off-Range Population	61,870	2,512	64,382

Program Expenditures

FY2023

Budget Category	Dollars (in millions)	% of Expenditures
Appropriations	$147.888	n/a
Total Expenditures*	$157.828	n/a
Off-Range Holding Costs	$108.512	69%
Gathers and Removals	$4.965	3%
Adoptions	$8.396	5%
Other Activities (monitoring, etc.)	$35.956	23%

FY2022

Budget Category	Dollars (in millions)	% of Expenditures
Appropriations	$137.093	n/a
Total Expenditures*	$138.462	n/a
Off-Range Holding Costs	$83.438	60%
Gathers and Removals	$12.186	9%
Adoptions	$12.308	9%
Other Activities (monitoring, etc.)	$30.530	22%

FY2021

See Also

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Budget Category	Dollars (in millions)	% of Expenditures
Appropriations	$115.745	n/a
Total Expenditures*	$112.273	n/a
Off-Range Holding Costs	$72.359	64%
Gathers and Removals	$4.587	4%
Adoptions	$14.231	13%
Other Activities (monitoring, etc.)	$21.096	19%

FY2020

Budget Category	Dollars (in millions)	% of Expenditures
Appropriations	$101.555	n/a
Total Expenditures*	$91.191	n/a
Off-Range Holding Costs	$56.978	62%
Gathers and Removals	$7.043	8%
Adoptions	$9.807	11%
Other Activities (monitoring, etc.)	$17.364	19%

FY2019

Budget Category	Dollars (in millions)	% of Expenditures
Appropriations	$80.555	n/a
Total Expenditures*	$85.549	n/a
Off-Range Holding Costs	$57.648	67%
Gathers and Removals	$3.695	4%
Adoptions	$8.163	10%
Other Activities (monitoring, etc.)	$16.043	19%

FY2018

Budget Category	Dollars (in millions)	% of Expenditures
Appropriations	$75	n/a
Total Expenditures*	$81.226	n/a
Off-Range Holding Costs	$49.812	61%
Gathers and Removals	$6.195	8%
Adoptions	$8.255	10%
Other Activities (monitoring, etc.)	$16.922	21%

FY2017

Budget Category	Dollars (in millions)	% of Expenditures
Appropriations	$80.555	n/a
Total Expenditures*	$82.567	n/a
Off-Range Holding Costs	$48.627	59%
Gathers and Removals	$4.216	5%
Adoptions	$7.913	10%
Other Activities (monitoring, etc.)	$21.329	26%

FY2016

Budget Category	Dollars (in millions)	% of Expenditures
Appropriations	$80.555	n/a
Total Expenditures*	$78.298	n/a
Off-Range Holding Costs	$49.428	63.1%
Gathers and Removals	$3.061	3.9%
Adoptions	$7.375	9.4%
Other Activities (monitoring, etc.)	$18.434	23.5%

FY2015

Budget Category	Dollars (in millions)	% of Expenditures
Appropriations	$77.245	n/a
Total Expenditures*	$75.174	n/a
Off-Range Holding Costs	$49.382	65.7%
Gathers and Removals	$1.834	2.4%
Adoptions	$6.314	8.4%
Other Activities (monitoring, etc.)	$17.645	23.5%

FY2014

Budget Category	Dollars (in millions)	% of Expenditures
Appropriations	$77.245	n/a
Total Expenditures*	$67.9	n/a
Off-Range Holding Costs	$43.235	63%
Gathers and Removals	$1.2	2%
Adoptions	$4.6	7%
Other Activities (monitoring, etc.)	$18.865	27%

FY2013

Budget Category	Dollars (in millions)	% of Expenditures
Appropriations	$71.836	n/a
Total Expenditures*	$76.1	n/a
Off-Range Holding Costs	$46.165	61%
Gathers and Removals	$4.8	6%
Adoptions	$7.5	10%
Other Activities (monitoring, etc.)	$17.035	22%

FY2012

Budget Category	Dollars (in millions)	% of Expenditures
Appropriations	$74.888	n/a
Total Expenditures*	$72.4	n/a
Off-Range Holding Costs	$42.955	59%
Gathers and Removals	$7.8	11%
Adoptions	$7.1	10%
Other Activities (monitoring, etc.)	$14.545	20%

*Expenditures include funding sources from multiple program areas related to wild horse and burro management.

Historical Data

Historical Program Data and Public Lands Statistics

This table contains links to data related to on-range population of wild horses and burros, adoptions and removals by fiscal year. Some data are preliminary and subject to revision before the end of the fiscal year. Download prior year wild horse and burro accomplishments fact sheets: FY2018,FY2019and FY2021.

Population	Completed Gathers	Adoptions, Sales and Removals by State Office	HAs and HMAs Data	Off-Range Monthly Facility Reports
2023 - not available yet	Not available yet	Not available yet	2023	2023
2022- not available yet	2022	2022- not available yet	2022	2022
2021	2021	2022	2021	2021
2020	2020	2020	2020	2020
2019	2019	2019	2019	2019
2018	2018	2018	2018	2018
2017	2017	2017	2017	2017
2016	2016	2016	2016	2016
2015	2015	2015	2015	2015
2014	2014	2014	2014	2014
2013	2013	2013	2013	2013
1996-2012	2009-2012	1996-2012	2005-2012	2011-2012