From a BLM press release:
Las Vegas – The Bureau of Land Management will begin trapping burros today in Spring Mountain Ranch State Park utilizing a bait and water trap method. The baited temporary corrals will be in place for at least several days to up to a month, depending on the burros’ movements through the area.
The burros are being gathered because they pose safety hazards on the park’s roadways and are damaging the park’s restoration efforts. Spring Mountain Ranch State Park has contacted the BLM on several occasions, regarding the wild burro issues, since December 2014. Over the last several years, several burro vs vehicle collisions have resulted in severe property damage.
The BLM is planning to remove approximately 40 burros, utilizing the temporary bait traps consisting of a series of corral panels stocked with hay and water; no helicopters will be used. The timing of this gather operation is important, as burro-vehicle accidents increase during the Super Summer Theatre events that are held at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park during summer evenings.
The public is reminded that feeding wild horses and burros is dangerous as wild animals can be unpredictable. Feeding also affects the animals’ behavior and can be hazardous to their overall health and safety as well as increased public safety concerns.
Once the trap operations have concluded, burros will be transported to Ridgecrest, California and will be available for adoption. Individuals interested in adopting these burros must complete an adoption application and meet the BLM requirements to adopt.
For updates on the burro gather, please visit http://on.doi.gov/2aUTac
Protect Mustangs is a nonprofit organization who protects and preserves native and wild horses.
Every time BLM rounds up horses or burros in the Spring Mountain range, wildfires occur due to the absence of dry, course grasses, including cheat grass being grazed by equids, resulting in the grasses becoming volatile fuel for fires. The BLM and USFS are both entrusted to steward the air, land, and water of any areas in their respective designations, including all denizens of said areas. They charge us for removal, then charge us to put out the fires. They then sell these trapped or rounded up animals to private owners they know are kill buyers who will transport these animals to slaughter houses. There are 23 million animals annually that are killed on American roads, (including birds, squirrels, snakes, deer, and larger animals) resulting in over 400 human deaths. The BLM has allowed Big Business to over develop natural habitats of animals and then expect animals to die for their neglect to control people who drive carelessly on their roads. 40 burros have to die because of a few ticket sales having more priority. This is not to overlook Special Interest tactics…once the animals are gone, there is no excuse to save the land and forests, so lets exploit, drill, frack, mine, and log. We’re not just fighting for 40 burros here, we are fighting for our own survival and the future generations to come.
Stop killing off animals.
Burros are a neccessary part of the eco system. Their grazing on the lands of the Spring Mountain Ranch State Park helps prevent fires. Doing this is not only inhumane but dangerous as well. Thinking people have hearts, heartless people don’t think. Doing the right thing isn’t always easy but if it’s in your heart, then it is the only thing. Let the burros live in peace without being rounded up.