On Dec. 18 the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Nevada Battle Mountain District began gathering and removing up to 20 wild burros that are damaging private property, land, and crops.

The burros are residing outside the Hickison Herd Management Area (HMA), located in Lander County, southeast of Austin, Nevada. The BLM Nevada Mount Lewis Field Office has posted maps and gather documents as part of its National Environmental Policy Act review at go.usa.gov/xEcvJ.

The BLM said wild burros identified for removal are regularly entering private lands, causing damage to hay crops and fences, and consuming privately owned stacked hay. A formal written request received by the Mount Lewis Field Office from a private landowner allows the BLM to remove stray wild horses and burros from private lands in accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations (43 CFR 4720.2-1.)

The BLM said its priority is to conduct a safe, efficient, and successful wild burro gather while ensuring humane care and treatment of all animals gathered. The BLM will use temporary corrals, set up on private property, which consist of a series of corral panels. Because of the nature of the bait trap method, only essential gather operation personnel will be allowed at the trap site during operations.

All burros removed will be transported to the Palomino Valley Wild Horse and Burro Off-Range Corrals in Reno, Nevada, where they will be checked by a veterinarian and prepared for the BLM’s wild horse and burro adoption program. For information on how to adopt or purchase a wild horse or burro, visit blm.gov/whb.

For technical information, contact Shawna Richardson, wild horse and burro specialist, at 775/635-4181.