[Warning: Graphic image]
They’re cute, and tourists love them. But eleven long-eared, braying burros met their end from what may seem a highly unusual cause. The burros found dead in Death Valley National Park may have perished from causes related to the record-setting summer heat in the park.
Heat-related issue connected to burros found dead in Death Valley
The 11 burros died near Owls Hole Spring in Death Valley. The cause of death is under investigation, but the National Park Service (NPS) suspects a harmful algae bloom was to blame.
Algae and cyanobacteria occur naturally in water and are more likely to grow into a harmful algae bloom when water is slow-moving, warm, and contains high levels of nitrogen and phosphorous. This often comes from fertilizer or sewage, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
All three of those conditions existed at Owls Hole Spring this summer where the water is stagnant. Death Valley experienced its hottest summer on record this year and feral burros defecated in and near the water.
Water not safe for humans or pets
So far, only dead burros have been found, but other animals were likely affected. No pupfish live in this spring.
Humans and pets should not drink or touch the water in Owls Hole Spring, as it is unsafe. If you should come across any unfortunates, you should not handle any of the carcasses. Park rangers have installed a warning sign to that end.
“I hate to see any animal suffer,” said Superintendent Mike Reynolds in a news release. “The National Park Service is working to remove feral burros from Death Valley, for their own safety and to reduce impacts to native wildlife.”
Burros are not native to Death Valley. The park’s estimated 4,000 burros are descendants of animals released by miners decades ago. The Service wants to relocate feral burros from the park. Since 2005, there has not been sufficient funding for large-scale roundups to be conducted. The Bureau of Land Management worked with the NPS to remove 43 burros in recent years. The nonprofit Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue has captured 256 burros from the park since 2018. The park has funding to resume roundups in fiscal year 2026.
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There’s irony here. When I lived in Arizona and would hike the desert, I was told that burros would pee in their water sources to keep other critters from consuming a rare commodity–apparently their own pee wouldn’t bother the burros themselves. I don’t know how true that is. . . .
Thank you, Russ and Tina! 🙂 Those poor burros! How terrible! I hope that the poisoned waterhole can be fenced, or otherwise addressed to prevent a repeat of this tragedy. Thanks again, have a great day, safe travels, and safe stays! 🙂
Smaller springs like Owl’s Hole and Two Springs will increase in salinity as evaporation exceeds inflow. It’s not unusual, it’s the same process that caused Badwater to get and keep its name. Nature can be cruel… 🙁