BLM conducting burro gather in San Bernardino County
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MORENO VALLEY, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management is conducting a wild burro gather in the Piute Mountain Herd Area, San Bernardino County, due to extreme temperatures and insufficient water availability at Fenner Spring. There is an estimated population of 60 to 80 burros living in the area that are dependent upon the spring as their sole water source.
Fenner Spring’s expected summer daily temperatures exceed 100 degrees. As such, from May 19-23, the BLM Ridgecrest Regional Wild Horse and Burro staff conducted a census and field monitoring of the wild burros near the Piute Mountains Wilderness Area.
On May 24, the BLM placed water troughs in the area to provide the burros with alternative water sources. The troughs were insufficient to sustain the burros, and so it was determined necessary to relocate some of the burros to prevent dehydration or fatalities due to the spring source drying up.
The wild burro gather, which started on June 28, is being conducted through a water and bait trap technique. As of early July, the BLM had captured 30 of the 60 burros that are being relocated. This process of capturing and relocating the burros will continue until it is determined that Fenner Spring can produce enough water to sustain the remaining number of burros. The captured burros are being transported to the BLM Ridgecrest Regional Wild Horse and Burro Corrals to be made available for adoption or purchase.
The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 is the landmark law that directs federal management of wild horses and burros on U.S. public lands. To help carry out its assignment, the BLM established the Wild Horse and Burro Program, through which the agency manages and protects wild horses and burros, both on and off the range, while striving to maintain rangeland health.
Burro gather updates can be viewed at https://www.blm.gov/programs/wild-horse-and-burro-program/herd-management/gathers-and-removals/california/2018-piute-mountain-wild-burro-gather.
For further information, contact Alex Neibergs through email at aneiberg@blm.gov, or telephone 760-384-5796.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.