Mohave County Supervisor: Burros Are A 'Desperate Problem'

Published: Wednesday, January 20, 2016 - 6:13pm
Updated: Thursday, January 21, 2016 - 9:26am
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U.S. Bureau of Land Management
Gold prospectors first introduced burros to northwestern Arizona in the mid-19th century.
(Photo Courtesy of U.S. Bureau of Land Management)
The most recent estimate says there are about 1,100 burros living in the Black Mountain Herd Management Area.

A Mohave County official said the federal government has for years ignored local concerns about an oversize burro population in northwestern Arizona.

To get the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s attention, Mohave County Supervisor Steven Moss said he recently raised the prospect of hunting wild donkeys, though it’s not something he actually supports.

Gold prospectors first introduced burros to the area during the mid-19th Century, and they have since flourished in the harsh environment.

But the federal government’s most recent estimate, completed by the U.S. Geological Service, said there are about 1,100 burros living in the 1.1 million-acre Black Mountain Herd Management Area, which is more than double the optimal amount of 478.

That creates a “desperate problem” that threatens public safety, the region’s ecology and native species like bighorn sheep and mule deer, Moss said. 

“So far has there has been no serious physical injuries to people,” Moss said. “But that is only a matter of time.”

The Mohave County Board of Supervisors passed resolutions the past two years asking the federal government to do something about the burros. But Moss said that while local BLM representatives were responsive; their requests were ignored by officials in Washington D.C.

The federal government removed about 130 burros from the area last year, according to Jayson Barangan, spokesman for the BLM's Arizona State Office. He said the agency is paying close attention to the situation and wants a humane solution that works for everyone.

“What we want to continue to do is stay actively engaged with community and come up with a balanced approach for management,” Barangan said.

A workshop on the burros including local, state and federal officials will likely happen in early February, Moss said.

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