2018 Havasu Emergency Gather
Progress as of November 20, 2018 - Gather Ended, Goal Accomplished
Purpose of Gather:
Response to increasing public safety concerns along State Route 95 just north of Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is conducting an emergency gather of wild burros, beginning Nov. 7, to respond to increasing public safety concerns along State Route 95 just north of Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
Details of Gather:
The BLM will gather approximately 50 animals, and transport the burros to the BLM Wild Horse and Burro facility in Florence, Ariz., where they will be prepared for possible adoption
Public Observation:
One near Crystal Beach was in the public view, near houses. The other gather area is north of Lake Havasu and in a remote location in the desert.
Background:
Location: The Havasu Herd Management Area (HMA) is south of Lake Havasu City along the Colorado and Bill Williams rivers. The HMA includes land on both sides of the Colorado River. The HMA is adjacent to the Chemehuevi HMA Area in California.
Size: The Havasu HMA contains 450,790 acres of Lower Colorado Sonoran Desert. In Arizona, the HMA measures 372,570 acres, while the California portion encompasses 78,220 acres.
Topography/Vegetation: The wild burros living within the Havasu HMA roam freely throughout the entire area, which is characterized by arroyo-scarred alluvial fans and steep, rocky volcanic mountains. There are four major vegetation communities found within the HMA. These are open hills covered with creosote bush; primary and secondary washes known for their paloverde and burro bush; and, secondary washes made up primarily of paloverde and creosote. Summer temperatures are hot, with the thermometer sometimes rising above 125 degrees. The area has 100 days per year of 100-degree temperatures.
Wildlife: Wild burros share this habitat with desert bighorn sheep and desert mule deer. Other animals in the area include small mammals, desert tortoise, several species of rattle snake, a variety of bird such as the southwestern willow flycatcher, lizards and amphibians.
AML: 133-166