Report: Wild Burros Destroying Arizona Desert Habitat
A new report from the Arizona Game and Fish Department reveals that the state's unchecked feral burro population is destroying keystone plant species in the Sonoran Desert.
Wildlife scientists conducted a study on plant species in areas with and without burros to determine the extent of the damage. The results show that burros are causing significant harm to the desert ecosystem.
Beyond the extreme heat beating down on the saguaro cacti, mesquite, ironwood and Palo Verde trees, burros are nibbling away at these keystone species, which not only provide shade for desert fauna but contribute to the habitat for animals and other plants.
According to Esther Rubin, research branch chief for the Arizona Game and Fish Department, ground cover was down 30 percent in areas where burros are present, affecting trees and cacti that play an important role in the desert.
Author's summary: Wild burros harm Arizona desert ecosystem.