2019 Black Mountain Emergency Wild Burro Gather

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is conducting an emergency gather of wild burros, between June through August 2019, to respond to increasing public safety concerns .

Purpose of Gather:

The purpose of this gather is to remove nuisance burros that are damaging private property, fences, waterlines, troughs, eating supplemental feed for livestock, and creating a public safety hazard for motorists along roadways. The Bureau of Land Management has received complaints from private landowners and the National Park Service (NPS) Lake Mead National Recreation Area, pertaining to numerous wild burros that are creating nuisance situations on private and NPS lands.

Details of Gather:

The BLM plans to remove 350 nuisance burros from private and NPS lands within the Black Mountain Herd Management Area (HMA) between the months of June and August 2019 by drawing the burros into a fenced area. A contractor and BLM staff will set temporary corrals on private and NPS lands, and will remove them once the operation is complete. For the purpose of this gather no burros will be treated with fertility control. All gather operations will be overseen by the BLM Kingman Field Office.

Public Observation:

The BLM’s priority is to conduct safe, efficient, and successful wild burro gather operations while ensuring humane care and treatment of all animals. The BLM will use the best available science and handling practices for wild burros while 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.

Adoption Information:

Animals gathered from the Black Mountain HMA will be available for adoption at the Florence Wild Horse and Burro Training and Off-Range Corral in Florence, AZ through the Wild Horse and Burro Adoption Program. 

How to Adopt:

Visit the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Adoption and Sale Program to learn how to adopt or purchase a wild horse or burro. 

Background:

The Black Mountain HMA is in northwestern Arizona, 15 miles west of Kingman. The area parallels the eastern shoreline of the Colorado River for 80 miles, from the Hoover Dam south along I-40. The current Appropriate Management Level for the Black Mountain HMA is 478 burros.