Hi, today the U.S. Forest Service began rounding up wild horses in the Mono Basin of California. The horses are bound for holding pens in Alturas, California and the roundups put the animals at risk for entering the slaughter pipeline.
The roundups began despite efforts from members of the Utu Utu Gwaitu Benton Paiute tribe to stop them. Tribal members strongly condemned the planned roundups and sought a temporary restraining order to prevent helicopters from chasing down horses.
Details about the roundups and the groups opposed to them are below, and I would be happy to connect you with tribal leaders and the executive director of American Wild Horse Conservation, Patricia Miller.
Thank you for considering covering this story. Dana
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
American Wild Horse Conservation Condemns Inyo Wild Horse Roundup in Mono Basin
The wild horse advocacy organization stands with the Utu Utu Gwaitu Benton Paiute Tribe.
MONO COUNTY, Calif., July 8, 2026 — American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC), the nation’s leading nonprofit dedicated to protecting America’s wild horses and burros, today strongly condemned the U.S. Forest Service’s decision to proceed with the Inyo helicopter roundup in the Mono Basin wild horse territory, which began today, July 8.
Despite widespread public opposition, concerns raised by tribal leaders, and the availability of proven, humane management alternatives, the roundup is proceeding.
“This roundup represents a failure of collaboration, conservation, and common sense,” said Patricia Miller, Executive Director of American Wild Horse Conservation. “The tragedy is not simply that helicopters are being used to remove wild horses; it is that this outcome was entirely avoidable.”
Wild horses are an enduring part of California’s natural and cultural heritage, and for the Benton Paiute people, the Mono Basin herd holds profound cultural significance that cannot be captured solely by administrative planning documents or population targets.
American Wild Horse Conservation stands in solidarity with the Utu Utu Gwaitu Benton Paiute Tribe, whose leadership has consistently called for a collaborative approach that respects the cultural, historical, and spiritual significance of the Mono Basin herd while protecting the long-term health of the landscape.
The tribe had sought a temporary restraining order to stop the roundups, and it was denied.
“The court’s order is disappointing, but we have strong grounds to appeal,” said Stephanie Sherman, the California attorney who represents the tribe. “Tribal consultation rights are written into the laws of this country, and I don’t believe the court gave them the weight they’re due.”
The Forest Service incorrectly characterized the roundup as the only viable management option. AWHC, together with the Utu Utu Gwaitu Benton Paiute Tribe and local stakeholders, proposed a comprehensive alternative that would have:
- Paused helicopter removals while collaborative planning occurred.
- Established a Tribal Wild Horse Management Council.
- Expanded humane fertility control to stabilize population growth.
- Reassessed outdated population objectives using current science.
- Developed a tribally operated training and adoption program creating jobs and cultural stewardship opportunities.
These recommendations reflect management approaches that have demonstrated success elsewhere in the West, reducing reliance on costly helicopter roundups and long-term holding facilities.
For years, AWHC has worked alongside local advocates, scientists, and tribal leaders to develop practical, long-term management strategies for the Mono Basin herd, including conducting field assessments and documenting conditions on the range, promoting humane, on-range fertility control as an effective management tool, and advocating for collaborative management that incorporates tribal knowledge, local expertise, and modern wildlife science.
Throughout this work, AWHC has maintained a consistent position that healthy wild horse populations should be managed on the range whenever possible, not removed from it.
Although the roundup has begun, this fight is far from over. AWHC will continue working alongside the Utu Utu Gwaitu Benton Paiute Tribe, local advocates, scientists, policymakers, and federal agencies to advance a more humane, science-based approach to wild horse management – one that ends unnecessary helicopter roundups, expands on-range fertility control, and strengthens transparency and accountability in federal wild horse management.
“The future of wild horse management should be built on collaboration, science, and respect,” said Tracy Wilson, Director at AWHC. “Instead, we witnessed a management decision that ignored years of work to create a humane alternative.”
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About American Wild Horse Conservation
American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC) is the nation’s leading nonprofit dedicated to honoring and protecting wild horses and burros on public lands through advocacy, science, policy, and awe. Through innovative conservation programs, public education, and strategic partnerships, AWHC works to ensure that wild horses and burros remain protected, free, and thriving in the wild. Learn more at www.americanwildhorse.org.
About Indigenous Wild Horse Society
The Indigenous Wild Horse Society is an Indigenous-led nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and preserving the wild horses of the Numu (Northern Paiute) homeland while honoring the enduring relationship between horses, the land, and Indigenous communities. Through advocacy, education, cultural stewardship, and community engagement, the Society works to safeguard wild horse family bands, advance Indigenous-led conservation, and ensure these culturally and spiritually significant animals remain free on their ancestral landscapes for generations to come.
Media Contact
Dana Sullivan Kilroy
American Wild Horse Conservation
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 775-828-2495
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