Article provided by Laurie Ford, WHE Wild Burro Subject Matter Expert

In an effort to clear out holding facilities, the BLM recently held a number of “Wild Burro Palapalooza” events in Arizona and Nevada offering burros for adoption and sale.  Pens at the events were full of young burros – many born in holding during the previous year and labelled as “yearlings” regardless of their actual birth date. Some had obviously been recently weaned.

As burros born in the wild remain with their mothers indefinitely – females becoming a part of the “harem” – it will be the job of the adopter to take over this role with love and patience.

These yearlings, because they were captured in utero and never accounted for as the live foals are, will continue to be included in the annual “on range” population estimate (computer modeling) as a reproducing adult despite never having set foot on the range.

Every year, on March 1, BLM estimates the ensuing year’s population by applying a growth rate to the current population. In short, they pre-determine the number of foals “yet to be born.”  Burros captured during the prior year, including the live foals, are subtracted from the final estimated population. But the of foals captured “in utero”- born in holding as these burros were – do not have their numbers subtracted despite having been included in the estimated population as a foal “yet to be born”.

Older burros were also available at the events – many whom had been in holding for different lengths of time and shuffled between other facilities and events in hopes they got adopted or purchased…

Burros just like Jimmy who was adopted at a similar event 9 years ago.

Jimmy

Jimmy was one of 168 burros captured and removed during a Lake Pleasant, Arizona, nuisance gather in 2015. He was shipped to the Axtell Holding Facility in Utah where; despite being classified as a “preparation facility”, he remained for 4 years.

In 2019, Jimmy, at 8 years old, was shipped from Axtell, along with 4 other burros, to an adoption event at the Ravalli County Fairgrounds in Montana. He was the only burro not adopted and remained at the fairgrounds – all alone – until he was shipped to another adoption event in Idaho one month later. Once again, no one stepped up to adopt Jimmy so 4 days later he was sent to yet another event at the Idaho Kootenai Fairgrounds.

After one month, and being transported to 3 different locations, Jimmy was finally adopted through the Adoption Incentive Program for 25.00. BLM lowers prices and will often unload “unadoptables” by giving a purchaser a chance to either “adopt” (taking advantage of the now paused incentives) or to buy the animal outright through the (still running) notorious “sale program.”

One year later, after being title eligibility inspected along with 2 other animals at the same location, title was issued for Jimmy. Records do not show any intermittent compliance checks ever being conducted. The owner, claiming Jimmy was too wild, sent him off to be a “sheep guardian” after receiving the final AIP payment.

Jimmy

What happened to Jimmy over the next 4 years can only be pieced together with obscure bits of information. After losing his job as a sheep guard he was sent off to a rescue who turned around and sold him for $200.00. Over the following years, at some point, he ended up back in the hands of the original adopter’s family until being passed on to the individual who, in 2024, surrendered him to a Hailey, Idaho, rescue who was at a loss as to what to do with him.

By this time Jimmy was unapproachable and had basically shut down. Was it because he was never handled or because he was mishandled? Was he head shy due to being hit or abused in some way? These are questions only Jimmy can answer but his behavior, and the look in his eyes, sometimes says it all.

One can only wonder what this poor burro was subjected to as he was passed around, year after year, like a piece of farm equipment.

With the burro world being a rather small one, the rescue reached out to Michele, founder of Lucky A Ranch, who has a well-earned reputation for helping damaged burros. Michele was going to be in Idaho on a return trip from Canada and would she be willing to take Jimmy? Everyone agreed it was the best thing for Jimmy and, without hesitation, Michele said yes.

Ten years after being ripped away from his home and family, and five years after being adopted, Jimmy was finally going home to Arizona where he would receive nothing but love and good care for the remainder of his life. Unfortunately, not all burros are as lucky as Jimmy.

It has been 6 months and, with lots of time and patience, Jimmy has slowly been making progress. Although he still flinches Jimmy will now accept a halter and, despite still being a challenge, is getting the proper veterinarian and hoof care he so desperately needed. Best of all, after living alone for so long, he is now adjusting to being a member of a herd once again.

With burros trust comes in their time, not yours, but when it happens it is not only magical but a great relief for both the burro and handler.

Jimmy is now almost 15 years old.

Jimmy

Sadly, Jimmy’s story is typical of hundreds, if not thousands, of our wild burros. While, in the public eye, their story often ends after capture. But in reality it is only just the beginning of a journey filled with trauma, far too often. While WHE can observe and monitor burros before, during and after roundups once they are adopted or sold the final chapters are in the hands of others.

Arizona still leads the country in wild burro populations where they have been present since around 1679.

According to BLM’s own data between FY 1971 and FY2024 approximately 42,381 burros have been removed from their designated habitat throughout the west. Yet, during this same period close to 51,000 are documented as adopted or sold.

The 2015 national burro population, the year Jimmy was captured, was 10,821. Nine years later, after close to 16,000 burros have been removed, the 3/1/2024  national population was 14,568. The estimated population of burros throughout the west was 15,000 in 1974.

Due to the inconsistencies in BLM data over decades the true number of free-roaming wild burros will remain a mystery – just like so much of Jimmy’s life.

WHE is currently active in litigation to protect wild burros. Last year, we won two landmark rulings that demonstrated clearly that BLM has illegally withheld management planning; gather plans are not management plans. One of the cases focused in the sheer lack of specific analysis related to burros on-range, during and after capture (capture impacts).

We have expanded our reach to protect wild burros and have filed new litigation to protect Arizona burros and more.

Our legal team is working on two cases this week and will be writing an update soon.

As wild horse and burro advocates there is a tendency to say “wild horses” when we are talking about reform of the program due to the real difference in numbers of wild horses compared to burros left in the U.S. The target “goal” of the BLM is to leave only 2,101 total wild burros distributed throughout the western states. A recipe for genetic collapse. 

One of the simple things you can do is to remember to simply say “wild horses and burros” when talking to your lawmakers. Reform of the program must include specific management strategies that account for the differences between wild horses and burros. It sounds simple, but it seems BLM forgets, far too often, that burros are not horses.

All of our work is only possible with your support. We thank you for keeping the critical work we do at WHE running for our wild ones.