AWHC Advocates for Wild Burros as Keystone Species and Improved Roundup Oversight at 2025 BLM Advisory Board Meeting

Team AWHC spoke at the 2025 Bureau of Land Management Advisory Board meeting. Yenny Martin, AWHC's Digital Content Manager delivered strong comments on the important role of wild burros in their ecosystems and about the unique considerations the BLM must take when rounding up burros

Thank you for the opportunity to speak. My name is Yenny and I am with American Wild Horse Conservation. I’m here today to highlight the critical role burros play in desert ecosystems and the severe consequences of their removal.

Without burros, water in the desert can become extremely inaccessible to its wildlife. Research published in Science shows Burros dig to access surface water up to a meter and a half in depth. These wells form desert oases and biodiversity hotspots, and in many cases, are the only source of hydration in this unforgiving environment. Around 65 species rely on burro wells for their water. For this reason, burros are considered by many, a keystone species. 

When burros were removed from Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Nevada, many springs dried up entirely, leading to the extinction of several endemic fish species. 

Despite their vital role in desert ecosystems, burros are being rounded up. These sensitive animals are especially susceptible to illness as a result of trauma. Stress from roundups has been linked to the activation of dormant viruses days and weeks after a roundup. It can also lead to fatal conditions like hyperlipaemia, which causes organ failure. For example, after the Blue Wing roundup in 2022, 31 burros died from hyperlipaemia, including pregnant jennies.

The lack of transparency during roundups only deepens these concerns. Observers are often too far from trap sites to verify humane treatment. To address this, I ask this Board to recommend that the BLM recognize the important role burros play in the ecosystem when making management decisions that will affect them, and that the BLM mandate the installation of cameras on all helicopters and wranglers, with recordings made publicly available. Without oversight and consideration of our burros’ unique needs, we risk losing these remarkable ecosystem engineers and the biodiversity they sustain. 

Thank you for your time.