Red Rock Canyon burros to be moved

Tuesday, July 18, 2000 | 10:55 a.m.

The recent deaths of several burros hit by motorists in Red Rock Canyon are prompting public lands officials to relocate some of the animals.

The protected animals often beg for handouts from tourists stopped alongside the road. But those friendly instincts have led four burros to their deaths on state Route 159 within the past month. No people were injured in the accidents.

For safety reasons and because of dry range conditions, public lands officials will begin rounding up many of the burros in August. Some will be sent to adoption centers and others to remote parts of the herd management area.

Wild horse specialist Gary McFadden of the Bureau of Land Management said the dry spell already made it necessary to remove a couple dozen of the 70 burros and 70 horses in the Red Rock National Conservation Area.

Despite a $50 fine for feeding the animals, enough tourists feed the burros that some of the animals remain on the side of the road or return after nightfall.

All four of the burros struck by cars in the past month died at night.

According to the National Wild Horse Association, that stretch of the highway needs fences and underpasses built to ensure the animals' safety.

"We wouldn't be having this discussion if the fencing was up with underpasses," said the group's spokeswoman, Laurie Howard.