BLM to Gather Excess Wild Burros Near Empire and Porter Springs

News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Bureau of Land Management, Winnemucca District Office

Date: May 23, 2019

Contact:Jenny Lesieutre, (202) 412-5784, jlesieut@blm.gov

Bureau of Land Management to Gather Excess Wild Burros Near Empire and Porter Springs

Winnemucca, Nev.– To reduce vehicle collisions associated with an overpopulation ofwild burros, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will begin bait-trap operations on or about June 1 to gather up to 200 wild burros from the Seven Troughs herd management area near Porter Springs and Empire, Nevada. The Humboldt River Field Office will conduct gather operations for approximately 45 days using water and/or hay to bait wild burros into a trap of corral panels.

The population ofwild burrosin the area was estimated at 240 animals as of February 2019 – more than five times above the target population of 28-46 animals. Due to limited forage and water within the Seven Troughs herd management area, excesswild burrosare now leaving public rangelands and crossing roadways in search of resources. Vehicle collisions withwild burroshave occurred on Highway 399, and burros have been spotted on Highway 447 south of Empire, Nev., as well as within the town of Empire. Resource damage around the Porter Springs Recreation Management Area has also been attributed to the overpopulation ofwild burros.

TheBLM’s priority is to conduct safe, efficient, and successful wild burro gather operations while ensuring humane care and treatment of all animals. TheBLMwill use the best available science and handling practices forwild burroswhile meeting the overall gather goals and objectives in accordance with its Comprehensive Animal Welfare Policy. Because animals are reluctant to approach the trap site when there is too much activity, only essential gather operation personnel will be allowed at the trap site during gather operations.

Wild burrosidentified for removal will be transported to the Palomino Valley Center in Reno, Nev., where they will be checked by a veterinarian and prepared for theBLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Adoption and Sale Program. For information on how to bring home a wild horse or burro, visitwww.blm.gov/whb.

TheBLMis conducting the gather under the DOI-BLM-NV-W010-2015-0034-EA Blue Wing Complex Gather Plan Decision signed on October 23, 2017. Access the Decision Record athttps://go.usa.gov/xmwqy. Once the gather is underway, theBLMwill post gather reports and additional information on its website athttps://go.usa.gov/xmGjA. For technical information, contact Samantha Gooch, Wild Horse and Burro Specialist at (775) 623-1519.

Photo: Burros in the area of Porter Springs Recreation Management Area

-BLM-

TheBLMmanages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 Western states, including Alaska. TheBLMalso administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Diverse activities authorized on these lands generated $96 billion in sales of goods and services throughout the American economy in fiscal year 2017. These activities supported more than 468,000 jobs.

Originally posted by Bureau of Land Management