An AML, as defined by the agency, is the number of horses that can be sustained within a designated herd management area that maintains “a thriving natural ecological balance in keeping with the multiple-use management concept for the area.”

“I hope this decision sends a signal to the BLM that it cannot get away with ignoring its commitments and duties to protect these amazing wild animals, who are actually underpopulated,” Best said.

FoA alleged BLM violated federal laws by basing its 2015 Pryor Mountain horse removal decision on an outdated 2009 Herd Management Area Plan that established an appropriate management horse population of 90 to 120 wild horses. The appropriate management number, the group said, was based on a 2007 range evaluation, which the BLM was supposed to recalculate within five years.

BLM admitted it has not re-calculated the appropriate management level number since its 2009 decision.

Alyse Backus, a spokeswoman for the BLM, said on Wednesday a judgment had not yet been issued in the case and that BLM could not comment on pending litigation.

Backus said the 2015 horse removal did occur. The judge earlier denied FoA’s request for a preliminary injunction.