Report: Drought In Western Colorado Forces Largest Wild Horse Roundup In State History

RANGELY, Colo. (CBS4) -- Earlier this month, the Bureau of Land Management began the largest roundup of wild horses in the history of Colorado -- and it's all due to the extreme drought in western Colorado.

The weekly drought update just released for Colorado shows almost no change. Extreme and Exceptional Drought persists on the Western Slope. The NE corner did see a small expansion of "abnormally dry" conditions. #cowx #4wx @ChrisCBS4 @DaveCBS4 @LaurenCBS4 pic.twitter.com/uMmPFvtMHI
— Ashton Altieri (@AshtonCBS4) August 12, 2021

The drought is so extreme over there that the wild horse herds don't have enough water to sustain them.

So far, the BLM has captured at least 303 horses.

wild Horses — FILE: Wild horses in the Sand Wash herd management area located 45 miles west of Craig, Colorado, in the Sand Wash Basin. (credit: Joe Amon/Getty Images)

"The next closest was 10 years ago in a roundup east of Colorado Highway 139 in the Piceance East Douglas Herd Management Area, in which 276 horses were gathered," the Steamboat Pilot reported.

The captured horses will be made available for adoption.

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