Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2025

The Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2025 would amend the Wild Free-roaming Horses and Burros Act to restrict and gradually eliminate the use of aircraft (including helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft) in the roundups and gatherings of wild free-roaming horses and burros. Over a two-year period after enactment, the Act would require the phasing out of such aircraft for roundup purposes, with ongoing reductions each year until these practices are terminated. It would also require that any aircraft used for roundups carry cameras to record operations, with the footage made available in the agency roundup reports. Additionally, the bill directs a Government Accountability Office (GAO) review within one year to assess humane alternatives to aircraft-based roundups, potential job creation from those alternatives, and how aircraft (including drones) affect wild horse and burro populations. The findings emphasize humane, cost-effective alternatives (notably fertility controls) and cite past exposure of taxpayers to roundup costs. In short, the bill aims to move the Bureau of Land Management away from using aircraft to manage wild horses and burros, improve transparency through mandatory video records, and fund an analytic review of humane options and impacts.