Kingman Field Office
| Contacts: | Mike Brown | , 928-718-3756 |
Wild Burros Gathered In The Black Mountains
Kingman, Ariz. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Kingman Field Office is gathering excess wild burros from one herd management area in northwestern Arizona.
BLM is gathering 100 burros as part of the ongoing implementation of the Black Mountain Ecosystem Management Plan. Gathering operations are occurring at various locations within the Black Mountains north and west of Kingman.
“We’re gathering the burros using the bait/water trapping method,” said the BLM Kingman Assistant Field Manager Don McClure. “Bait and water trapping have the advantage of being the least stressful of capture methods. Burros are enticed into a corral which is constructed with a one-way gate. The animals may enter, but not exit the corral.”
The gather is consistent with the provisions of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, which mandates that the BLM will remove excess wild burros to achieve a target population or appropriate management level. The objective is to protect rangeland resources from deterioration associated with the wild burro overpopulation, and to achieve and maintain a thriving natural ecological balance and multiple-use relationship in the area. The removal was considered warranted based on vegetation monitoring data, drought conditions, and rangeland health concerns. Within the Black Mountains, forage was allocated to sustain about 500 burros. Current inspection estimates the burro population between 634 and 715.
Once gathered, the burros will be taken to the Wild Horse and Burro Facility in Ridgecrest, California to be prepared for adoption. Since 1971, approximately 98% of all wild burros gathered have been adopted. “The burros of the Black Mountains are fat and sleek, and appear relatively healthy, so the BLM should have no trouble adopting them out to qualified adopters, said Roger Oyler, lead BLM wild horse and burro specialist.
To learn more about the adoption program or to obtain an application, call toll-free (866) 4-MUSTANGS or visit the BLM Wild Horse and Burro website at www.wildhorseandburro.blm.gov.
The BLM manages more land - over 245 million acres - than any other Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
Kingman Field Office 2755 Mission Boulevard Kingman, AZ 86401