BLM investigating wild burro deaths
AXTELL—The Bureau of Land Management is investigating the deaths of 25 wild burros recently removed from the Canyonlands Herd Management Area (HMA) in Wayne County.
Gathered between Feb. 24 and Feb. 28, the burros arrived at the BLM Axtell Off-Range Corral for standard veterinary care and adoption preparation.
Officials say the animals died from bronchopneumonia, complicated by a bacterial infection and an underlying gammaherpes virus. No additional deaths have been reported since March 21.
Caregivers at the corral noticed signs of respiratory illness in early March, when several burros appeared lethargic and feverish. The first deaths were confirmed on March 11.
Post-mortem examinations performed by the Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory revealed bronchopneumonia paired with streptococcus equi ssp. Zooepidemicus. A gammaherpes virus was identified as the underlying trigger.
All surviving affected burros are undergoing medical treatment, which includes antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs and precautionary long-acting antibiotics.
The BLM keeps the sick animals in quarantine, away from healthy burros and reports no signs of the illness spreading to other groups at the corral.
Gather details and purpose
BLM personnel gathered 85 wild burros (49 jacks, 32 jennies, and four foals) from the Canyonlands HMA, located about 60 miles south of Green River. The area comprises more than 89,000 acres of federal, state and National Park Service land. The HMA is east of Canyonlands National Park near Horseshoe Canyon and west of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
Managers estimate the Canyonlands HMA was supporting more than 200 burros at the time of the gather—well above its Appropriate Management Level (AML) of 60 to 100.
By removing excess animals, the BLM aims to maintain a sustainable balance between wild burros, native wildlife and available forage on public lands.
Helicopter drive-trapping, a standard gather method, allowed BLM staff to herd burros safely into temporary corrals. Crews worked in clear, sunny conditions for five days, starting Feb. 24. Each evening, officials conducted briefings and posted updates on the BLM hotline, giving the public a chance to observe operations if conditions permitted.
Post-gather arrangements
Once gathered, 82 of the burros were transported to the Axtell facility for medical checks and adoption preparation. Three died during the gather from pre-existing or chronic conditions, including severe tumors and other injuries deemed untreatable. None of the gathered animals received fertility control this time, and the BLM did not release any of the burros back into the HMA during the operation.
The BLM says it is following established best practices, including regular monitoring, nutrition assessments and veterinary inspections to ensure herd health. The agency remains in close contact with veterinary experts nationwide to evaluate the situation and limit disease risks.
Similar outbreak in 2016
The BLM points to a comparable outbreak from 2016, when burros gathered from the Sinbad Herd Management Area in the San Rafael Swell area of Utah contracted pneumonia caused by asinine gammaherpesviruses 4 and 5.
Officials note that while gammaherpesviruses appear in domestic donkeys and horses, they do not typically cause widespread disease. Equine herpes viruses infect only horses, burros, and mules and are not known to infect humans or other domestic animals.
Adoption and next steps
Once they recover, the BLM plans to offer the quarantined Canyonlands burros for adoption or purchase. Officials will post updates on the Utah Gathers and Removals website. Interested adopters may also visit the BLM National Wild Horse and Burro Program page or call (866) 468-7826 for information on how to bring a wild burro home.
For additional details about the gather or ongoing investigation, contact Lisa Reid at (435) 979-2838 or lreid@blm.gov.