The USDA Forest Service has completed the final phase of an emergency operation to rescue wild horses trapped in deep snow on California’s Inyo National Forest. This morning, the 20 surviving animals were transported to a rehabilitation facility on the Modoc National Forest.
Severe winter conditions left the horses with no access to food or water after they became stranded outside their normal range. Many of the animals were visibly emaciated and in poor body condition and would not have survived without intervention.
Over the weekend, Forest Service crews rescued 24 horses from snow-bound terrain using bait and water traps and transported them to a temporary holding facility in Bishop, California, for stabilization. One horse later died due to extreme emaciation, and three horses were humanely euthanized because of critically poor body condition. An additional six horses were found dead out on the forest as a result of starvation and prolonged exposure.
Forest Service staff provided emergency care to stabilize the surviving horses before transporting them this morning to a better-equipped facility on the Modoc National Forest, where they will receive continued care and rehabilitation. Recovery is expected to take up to 10 months.
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The horses are associated with the Montgomery Pass herd and had moved well outside their typical range prior to becoming stranded by heavy snowfall.
To support rescue operations, the Forest Service implemented a temporary closure in the Bald Mountain area. That closure will be lifted Thursday, Jan. 22.
This will be the final update on the emergency wild horse welfare operation.
