BLM's Plan to Test Contraceptives on Black Mountain Burro Herd

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is set to test experimental contraceptives on the Black Mountain burro herd near Kingman, aiming to manage the overpopulation humanely. The initiative seeks to explore innovative methods for controlling the burro population, which is currently three times the acceptable number for the ecosystem.

The BLM estimates that 1,400 to 1,800 wild burros roam the Black Mountains in Mohave County. Spokesperson Jayson Barangan mentioned that the BLM is considering a contraceptive called PZP. “What we’re trying to do right now is explore opportunities for new and innovative methods for managing burros,” he says. “PZP is a safe and humane treatment that’s been used to control wild horse populations.”

The drug would likely be injected by hand after burros are captured and wears off after a year or two. This will be the first time it has been tested on wild burros. The BLM hopes to complete an environmental analysis and begin field trials later this year.

Pat Barber of the Arizona Game and Fish Department says contraceptives alone won’t reduce the population to the required number, called an Appropriate Management Level (AML). “If and when they develop a contraceptive approach that could be effective, they first need to reduce the population down around AML so they can maintain them there,” he says.

Barber suggests that the BLM should enhance its adoption program to bring the numbers down.

For further information, see the 2013 National Academy of Sciences report that identifies PZP as one of the most promising fertility control methods. See also the Arizona Game and Fish Commission’s recent resolution calling for action on the burro issue.

Originally posted by Knau Arizona Public Radio