Motorists traveling through remote areas of Death Valley National Park may experience traffic delays this week as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), will conduct burro gathering operations.
The project will affect portions of the park encompassing the Panamint Mountains near Darwin Falls, and other areas according to a news release.
“Unpaved roads within Butte Valley and Goler Wash are likely to have traffic delays up to four hours while burros are moving along roads, from April 25-27,” the release stated. “These delays are for visitor and burro safety. Other areas of the park are not anticipated to need travel restrictions.”
The release went on to state that the burro gather is being done to protect native wildlife and ecosystems and to improve the condition of park wilderness.
“Burros are not native to the California desert, and feral burros found in the park are descendants of domestic donkeys abandoned by miners more than 100 years ago,” the release stated. National Park Service officials estimate there are now over 4,000 burros in the park.”
For information on how to adopt or purchase a wild horse or burro from the Ridgecrest Wild Horse and Burro Corrals, call (760)-384-5765 or visit www.blm.gov/whb.
For information on projects and burro adoption from Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue, visit www.donkeyrescue.org.
Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @pvtimes.