burro

A 1971 law declared wild horses and burros “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West,” and made it illegal to harass, capture or kill them on public lands.

It’s a sight that’s become all too common, and alarming, for local activists, who say there have been at least a half-dozen burro bow attacks in the Moreno Valley area recently.

Come nightfall, the eerie silence is often pierced by the woeful bleat of a wandering burro.

The number of wild burros roaming pine forests and sagebrush fields has grown in recent years, with experts worried that the miniature beasts of burden could overwhelm rare and endangered species of plants.

“These partnerships reflect our commitment to local, compassionate and community-focused solutions for managing the wild burro population in San Bernardino County,” said Luther Snoke, county chief executive, at a Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday.