FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Simone Netherlands Phone: (928) 925-7212
Email: [email protected]

Salt River Wild Horse Management Group Commends Governor Hobbs’ Action to Suspend Removals of Salt River Wild Horses Until 2028!

Revised management contract, signed today between AZDA and SRWHMG suspends planned removals and increases target population size.

PHOENIX, AZ (August 18, 2026) — Governor Katie Hobbs today suspended the planned removals and adoptions of healthy Salt River wild horses for two years while a genetic study of the herd is conducted.

The decision, finalized in an amendment to the management contract signed today between the Arizona Department of Agriculture (AZDA) and the Salt River Wild Horse Management Group (SRWHMG), supersedes previous provisions requiring the removal of 25 horses per year beginning this September.

The amended contract sets a new population target of 170 horses, up from the 120 set in the original contract signed last February.

Governor Hobbs has secured funding from the Arizona Board of Regents for a scientific genetic diversity study, which will determine a population threshold that protects the herd’s long-term health and genetic viability.

The decision comes after SRWHMG submitted its 2026 Mid-Year Herd Report, documenting the negative population growth rate of the herd and overall success of SRWHMG’s humane management programs. It also follows sustained public and legislative support for stronger protections to ensure the preservation of the herd long-term.

“We are thrilled with the Governor’s actions because, from the very beginning, it has always been our mission to preserve these cherished and historic wild horses for future generations of Arizonans to enjoy,” said Simone Netherlands, President of the Salt River Wild Horse Management Group. “We commend Governor Hobbs for recognizing the immense public interest in protecting the Salt River wild horses and taking steps to ensure their future.”

Science and Data Driving Policy

The decision to amend the management contract follows key scientific milestones outlined in SRWHMG’s 2026 Mid-Year Herd Health Report, demonstrating the undeniable success of its humane management programs:

• Proven Population Reduction: Primarily through SRWHMG’s fertility control program, the herd has dropped to 267 horses today—a 40 percent decline from its 2019 peak of 463, reaching its lowest level in ten years.
• Over 1,000 Births Prevented: Fertility control has prevented an estimated 1,050 births since 2020. With only 12 foals born across the entire herd between 2021 and 2026, the herd has maintained a consistent net-negative growth rate without removals.
• Natural Attrition: Increased natural predation on foals, combined with normal seasonal mortality, has capped herd recruitment—proving that artificial removals could risk pushing the population below genetically viable numbers.
• $0 Cost to Taxpayers: SRWHMG’s dedicated volunteer base and private donors continue to fund 100 percent of all field operations—darting, feeding, emergency response, highway fence maintenance, and road patrols—at zero expense to Arizona taxpayers.

The full 2026 Mid-Year Herd Report is available here.

About the Salt River Wild Horse Management Group (SRWHMG)

The Salt River Wild Horse Management Group is an Arizona non-profit organization dedicated to the humane management and protection of the Salt River wild horses in the Tonto National Forest. In partnership with the State of Arizona, SRWHMG utilizes scientifically proven immunocontraception, daily field monitoring, and habitat stewardship to ensure the herd’s long-term sustainability.