The presence of feral horses can cause significant damage to wildlife habitats. On the Wind River Reservation, a tribal-led initiative has made a big difference for both wildlife and habitat in this area of historic bighorn sheep habitat.
Through intensive aerial and ground-based roundups, 7,633 horses were removed, bringing the population down from an estimated 9,000-10,000 in 2022 to just 1,026. Tribal managers and members also played a role by conducting small-scale captures to support the project. Ongoing efforts to manage the situation include:
- Conducting additional aerial surveys.
- Hiring a feral horse manager.
- Continuously monitoring to prevent illegal horse dumping and maintain rangeland conditions.