2021 Centennial Herd Area wild burro gather

 

Purpose of Gather:Wild Horse and Burro Logo

The Centennial Herd Area Burro Gather is necessary to address resource impacts and reduce the risk of burro-vehicle collisions and is consistent with the provisions of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. In addition, the gather is consistent with the California Desert Conservation Area Plan Decision as amended to remove wild burros due to the challenges they are imposing on the military installation Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS) China Lake and the unfeasibility of maintaining a wild burro population on BLM lands when removals would be conducted in adjacent jurisdictions.

The current burro overpopulation is located on fragile desert and creosote scrub ecosystems, where forage and water are scarce, endangering the overall land health with the possibility of permanent, irrecoverable damage. This strain puts other wildlife and other rangeland resources at great risk along with the wild burros themselves.

Details of Gather:

The Centennial Herd Area Burro Gather is scheduled to take place Friday, May 28 through Friday, June 11, using a helicopter and wranglers to move up to 300 burros into capture sites. Gather dates are flexible and the gather may conclude earlier if the 300 animals are collected prior to June 11.  The capture sites will be strategically located to minimize the distances the burros will travel, based on condition of the animals, topography and weather.  The animals will be moved by helicopter at a slow pace to ensure the groups stay together and to reduce the stress on the burros. The length of daily gather operations will vary each day. 

Public Observation: 

The BLM Ridgecrest Field Office invites members of the public to observe the Centennial Herd Area Burro Gather daily from designated public viewing areas as long as there is public interest and cooperation.  Currently, gather activities scheduled for June 2 will take place on the military installation at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, so public viewing will not be available that day. 

Public viewing of the gathered burros at the Ridgecrest Regional Wild Horse and Burro Corrals is available during the gather beginning May 29, between 3:00 and 4:00 PM. 

To register to attend a public viewing day email your contact information to mvanderlinden@blm.gov no later than Thursday, May 27, 2021. 

Adoption Information: 

Wild burros removed from the Centennial Herd Area will be made available for adoption or purchase at the Ridgecrest Wild Horse and Burro Regional Corrals through the Wild Horse and Burro Adoption and Sales Program. For information on how to adopt a wild burro click HERE

Daily Gather Reports:
Will be posted once gather begins.

Emergency Closures: 
Gather operations may require related emergency closures.  If an emergency closure becomes necessary, the closure order will be posted here. 

Wild Burros in the desert (Jesse Pluim, BLM)

Daily Gather Reports

Sunday, June 6, 2021
Clear, southwest wind 1-5mph.  Temperature: 76 06:15 AM (Start Gather) to 88 F 9:15 AM (End Gather for the day). 
Animals Gathered: 22 (14 jacks, 7 jennies, 1 foal)
Facility Destination: Ridgecrest California Wild Horse and Burro Corral Facility
Deaths: 0
• Sudden / Acute: 0
• Pre-existing / Chronic: 0

Saturday, June 5, 2021
Clear, southwest wind 1-5mph.  Temperature: 76 06:00 AM (Start Gather) to 97 F 11:00 AM (End Gather for the day). 
Animals Gathered: 22 (11 jacks, 8 jennies, 3 foal)
Facility Destination: Ridgecrest California Wild Horse and Burro Corral Facility
Deaths: 0
• Sudden / Acute: 0
• Pre-existing / Chronic: 0

Friday, June 4, 2021
Clear, southwest wind 1-5mph. Temperature: 82 F 06:30 AM (Start Gather) to 100 F 11:30 AM (End Gather for the day). 
Animals Gathered: 16 (6 jacks, 10 jennies, 0 foal)
Facility Destination: Ridgecrest California Wild Horse and Burro Corral Facility
Deaths: 0
• Sudden / Acute: 0
• Pre-existing / Chronic: 0

Thursday, June 3, 2021
Clouds (60%) and calm. Temperature: 820 F 07:15 AM (Start Gather) to 990 F 10:30 AM (End Gather for the day).
Animals Gathered: 57 (30 jacks, 23 jennies, 4 foal)
Facility Destination: Ridgecrest California Wild Horse and Burro Corral Facility
Deaths: 0
• Sudden / Acute: 0
• Pre-existing / Chronic: 0

Wednesday, June 2, 2021
Summary: High Clouds (50%) and 5 mph winds from the southwest. Temperature: 72 F 06:15 AM (Start Gather) to 99 F 11:40 AM (End Gather for the day).
Animals Gathered: 35 (18 jacks, 15 jennies, 2 foal)
Facility Destination: Ridgecrest California Wild Horse and Burro Corral Facility
Deaths: 0
• Sudden / Acute: 0
• Pre-existing / Chronic: 0

Tuesday, June 1, 2021
Summary: Clear and 5 mph winds from the south. Temperature: 76 F 7:30 AM (Start Gather) to 100 F 11:03 AM (End Gather for the day).
Animals Gathered: 36 (8 jacks, 18 jennies, 10 foal)
Facility Destination: Ridgecrest California Wild Horse and Burro Corral Facility
Deaths: 0
• Sudden / Acute: 0
• Pre-existing / Chronic: 0

Monday, May 31, 2021
Summary: Clear and 5 mph winds from the northwest, increasing to 15-20 mph later in the morning. Temperature: 79 F 6:30 AM (Start Gather) to 90 F 8:40 AM (End Gather for the day).
Animals Gathered: 10 (5 jacks, 3 jennies, 1 foal)
Facility Destination: Ridgecrest California Wild Horse and Burro Corral Facility
Deaths: 0
• Sudden / Acute: 0
• Pre-existing / Chronic: 0

Sunday, May 30, 2021
Summary: Clear and calm early in the morning transitioning to mostly sunny with northerly winds 15-20 mph. Temperature: 70 degrees at 6:30 a.m. at the start of the gather to 93 degrees at the end of the gather.
Animals Gathered: 20 (6 jacks, 9 jennies and 5 foals)
Facility Destination: Ridgecrest California Wild Horse and Burro Corral Facility
Deaths: 0
• Sudden / Acute: 0
• Pre-existing / Chronic: 0

Saturday, May 29, 2021
Summary: High clouds and calm. Temperatures ranged from 68 degrees at 6:30 a.m. at the start of the gather to 75 degrees at the end of the gather.
Animals Gathered: 72 (31 jacks, 29 jennies and 12 foals)
Facility Destination: Ridgecrest California Wild Horse and Burro Corral Facility
Deaths: 0
• Sudden / Acute: 0
• Pre-existing / Chronic: 0

Friday, May 28, 2021
Summary: Some high clouds, slight breeze from the southwest. Temperatures ranged from 65 degrees at the start of the gather to 88 degrees in the afternoon at the end of the gather.
Animals Gathered: 70 (29 jacks, 29 jennies and 12 foals
Facility Destination: Ridgecrest California Wild Horse and Burro Corral Facility
Deaths: 0
• Sudden / Acute: 0
• Pre-existing / Chronic: 0