Arizona is chock full of wildlife. When most of your state is open desert, it allows for ecosystems to pop up and thrive. The issue with this, is sometimes we get more than we bargained for.

Two coyotes in the AZ desert
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That's the case with a few wild species across Arizona, and the state is finally planning to do something about it.

How Did Arizona Become Overrun with Wild Burros?

Arizona's history with wild Burros begins in the 16th century, sometime around the early 1500s. It was around this time that Spanish explorers began to discover and colonize the soon-to-be American southwest. With them, they brought "borrico", or Donkeys to assist with travel and storage.

A burro stands in the desert
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They were perfectly fit for the American southwest, as they could withstand large swaths of land and intense heat. Because of this, almost all wild Burros live in Arizona, and have since 1679.

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Celebrate the Benson Donkey Rescue & Sanctuary

BLM Burro Sale

As of March 2023, there were an estimated 6,205 wild burros in Arizona alone. These animals are protected, under the Free-Roaming Wild Horses and Burros Act, so there's no legal way to cut down the population.

Two burros walk through the brush
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In order to counteract this, the Bureau of Land Management will host adoption events to honor Wild Horse and Burro Awareness Week . The first of these events will take place on March first and second at Marana Heritage Center, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Two burros look at a camera
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The second event will take place just days later on March fourth and fifth at Quail Park in Willcox from 8 a.m. to noon.

Prices

  • Untrained Animals: $125
  • Trained Horses: $1,000+
  • Trained Burros: $500+

[American Wild Horse Conservation][KTAR]

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