Wild Burros Providing Water for Wildlife

In far-West Texas, a coalition of government agencies, agricultural universities and conservation organizations has decided that wild burros on public lands should be eradicated. The coalition based its decision on the belief that what the burros are doing in the video above harms wildlife – especially Desert Bighon Sheep and Desert Mule Deer – and all habitat. This belief reflects the fundamental disagreement between Big Wildlife and holistic thinkers such as Aldo Leopold over this question: In nature, do species such as burros and wolves compete with or complement other species and the system in general?

Burros like those in the video were eradicated at Big Bend Ranch State Park because, it was said, they spoiled water for other species by digging holes.  Here is the “Rest of the Story” concerning burros and water.

 See also: Circle Ranch Burros from Christopher Gill on Vimeo

Wild burros at Circle Ranch are completely compatible with other animals, including bighorn, whose terrain they avoid.