Image Caption: Dominanceby Jennifer Maharry

Venice, CA — A tribute to some of America’s last wild horses will be the focus of The G2 Gallery’s upcoming exhibit, Nature LA: Jennifer MaHarry, on view Tuesday, May 15, 2012.  Jennifer’s breathtaking photography documents free-roaming wild horses living in the desert and mountain regions of Western Utah.  A reception will be held Saturday, May 19 from 6:30–9:00 PM.

Two years ago, Jennifer presented an exhibit at G2 that featured rescued mustangs at a sanctuary in Ojai, Calif.  For her current project, Jennifer was able to get in and amongst herds of wild horses in their natural state.  She also received permission from the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to witness the roundups—or “gathers” as they are termed by the BLM—which serve to inventory—and in most cases remove—wild horses on federal land. The images featured in Nature LA: Jennifer MaHarry document this incredible effort.

In 1971, the Nixon administration passed the Wild Horses and Burros Act, deeming mustangs “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West.”  Protections for the horses were mandated, as well as stipulations regarding “excess animals” including roundups, removal from an area, adoptions, and euthanasia.

Today, the existence of wild horses on federal public lands presents a difficult challenge for the BLM, as they struggle to maintain healthy land and healthy herds while an ever-growing cattle industry is allowed grazing rights, and mining industries are allowed to divert water away from the horses’ designated Herd Management Areas.  Jennifer’s intention for these images is to give voice to the wild horses as their populations continue to decrease annually.

Since The G2 Gallery signed Jennifer to its roster of nature and wildlife photographers she has become one of the top-selling artists in the history of the gallery.  An opening reception with the artist in attendance will be held on Saturday, May 19, from 6:30–9:00 pm.  The exhibit Wild on Earth: Piper Mackay will also be highlighted at the opening and all proceeds from the $5 admission and from all art sales will benefit the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

Location:

The G2 Gallery (www.theg2gallery.com)
1503 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, CA 90291-3742
Tel. 310.452.2842, E-mail info@theg2gallery.com

Contact:

Diane Shader Smith
310.386.6803
dianeshadersmith@gmail.com
Gia LaRussa
310.428.7752
gia@theg2gallery.com

About Jennifer MaHarry

Jennifer MaHarry is a photographer and graphic designer based in Culver City, California.  In 2000, Jennifer founded Eden Creative where, as creative director, she designs motion picture print advertising campaigns for major releases by the Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros, and Sony among others.  A graduate of the School of Visual Arts at Syracuse University, Jennifer exhibited at the Kingston Museum of Contemporary Arts and the Venice Art Walk before her highly successful solo show at The G2 Gallery in 2010.  Since that time, Jennifer’s artwork has helped raise thousands of dollars for environmental causes through The G2 Gallery.

About The G2 Gallery

Established in March 2008, The G2 Gallery in Venice, California, is a green art space with a dedicated focus on nature and wildlife photography. In keeping with G2’s commitment to supporting arts and the environment, the gallery presents exhibitions with eco-conscious themes, donates the proceeds from all art sales to environmental charities and hosts events that bring awareness of critical issues to our community.

Wipe out plan for American’s wild horses

PRESS RELEASE
June 11, 2009- for immediate release

Documents Reveal BLM Secret Plan to Destroy Wild Horses

Documents obtained from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) via the Freedom of Information Act by a Phoenix-based non-profit, The Conquistador Program, reveal shocking and detailed plans to destroy healthy wild horses in government holding facilities as well as those still remaining in the wild on public lands.

BLM employees as well as a USDA veterinarian held weekly “Implementation Team” meetings beginning in July of 2008 in which they discussed and developed strategies aimed at ridding BLM of thousands of mustangs. In October they completed a 68 page document entitled “Alternative Management Options”. Tactics included in this document are reminiscent of those used to wipe out Native American tribes in the 1800s.

The BLM team created scenarios for killing mustangs using barbiturates, gun shots, or captive bolts. Bodies would be disposed of through rendering, burial or incineration. They discussed killing 1200-2000 wild horses per year. The document states that “the general public would be prohibited from viewing euthanasia.” Additionally, the Team felt that “increased support from public relations and management staff would also be needed to insulate those doing the actual work from the public, media and Congressional scrutiny/criticism.”

“Minutes from these meetings as well as the Draft Plan reveal what amounts to ‘the final solution’ for the American mustang,” states Ginger Kathrens, filmmaker and Volunteer Executive Director of The Cloud Foundation. “Despite a huge outcry from the American public last year regarding BLM plans to kill wild horses in holding, the agency is still pressing forward with a plan to destroy our American mustangs both on and off the range.”

Division Chief of the Wild Horse and Burro Program Don Glenn told The Cloud Foundation that “no decision has been made to move forward on a large scale with this plan, yet.”

BLM meeting minutes speak for themselves. “Security at facilities and at gathers would need to be increased to combat eco-terrorism. Having the people that are willing to put down healthy horses at gather sites could be a problem. Having vets putting down healthy horses at preparation facility[ies] could also be a problem.” Meeting minutes reveal the psychological toll that employees would pay—“have counseling for employees and contractors that have to euthanize the healthy horses because it is very stressful.”

The report created an option in which wild horses of all ages could be sold “without limitation”. In other words, horses could be sold directly to killer buyers in unchecked numbers. The Team admitted that “some wild horses will go to slaughter”.

“Once they are gone, they’re gone” says Karen Sussman, President of the International Society for the Protection of Mustangs and Burros. “To lose this incomparable species would be a travesty.”

Team Members formulated ways in which they could circumvent the National Environmental Policy Act, asking “How many (wild horses) could be euthanized during a gather (roundup) without having NEPA?” BLM discussed ways to circumvent the federal carcass disposal law (43 CFR 4730.2). Conversations included how many wild horses could be rendered at the Reno Rendering plant or “disposed of in pits”. The Team concluded that “there will not be large numbers of horses euthanized during gathers or in the field. This is due to state environmental laws.”

Recommendations include the creation of gelding herds, and sterilization of mares to create non-reproductive herds in the wild in place of natural herds. The team recommended changing the sex ratio from the normal 50% males and 50% females to 70% males and 30% females. Then the experimental two-year infertility drug, PZP-22, would be given to all mares that are returned to the wild. Plans call for rounding up the wild horses every two years to re-administer the drug.

“Mares on the drug will cycle monthly and, with the altered sex ratio, the social chaos will be dangerous and on-going,” Kathrens explains. “Any semblance of normal wild horse society will be completely destroyed.”

Kathrens has spent 15 years in the wild documenting mustang behavior for her PBS television documentaries which chronicle the life story of Cloud, the now famous pale palomino stallion she has filmed since birth. “Even Cloud and his little herd in Montana are in serious danger if BLM implements these options,” she continues. “The BLM plans a massive round up in Cloud’s herd beginning August 30, 2009.”

The BLM will not guarantee that Cloud and his family will remain free.

The BLM documents referred to above and photos of wild horses are available from The Cloud Foundation.

The Cloud Foundation, Inc.
107 South 7th St.
Colorado Springs, CO 80905
719-633-3842
719-633-3896 (fax)
info@thecloudfoundation.org
www.thecloudfoundation.org

Rich lady to adopt every one of America’s wild horses?

I must be dreaming, things like this are just too Disney sounding to be real, but I just found this news, Wild horses spared in dramatic rescue. And to double check I googled the news report title and found it posted here too…

Wild horses spared in dramatic rescue
By Lyndsey Layton; Washington Post; Posted: 11/18/2008 09:17:53 PM PST

The unwanted horses seemed destined for death. The wheels had been set in motion to put down about 2,000 healthy mustangs, those in a federally maintained herd of wild horses and burros that no one wanted to adopt.

The Bureau of Land Management knew that euthanasia was a legal alternative, but officials were proceeding slowly, afraid of an intense public outcry. The wild horses had become too expensive to maintain, and cattle ranchers argued that turning them loose would be a drain on the already scarce grazing lands of the West.

Then Monday, at a public hearing in Reno to discuss the issue, a solution arrived on a white horse, so to speak.

Madeleine Pickens, wife of billionaire T. Boone Pickens, made known her intentions to adopt not just the doomed wild horses but most or all of the 30,000 horses and burros kept in federal holding pens.

Read the whole amazing news story!

http://www.contracostatimes.com/nationandworld/ci_11018468

http://snipurl.com/6j4lj

I still cannot believe this is true. Please let it be true! Let the wild horses be saved and let them be free to be wild horses!

Wild Horses B-roll – Youtube horse video

Americas Wild Horses (The Change – Garth Brooks) – Youtube horse video

Please comment below your feelings on this news. Thanks!