A free-roaming donkey called Cupid is healing after a medical procedure subsequent to being struck with an arrow in what experts call the newest in a series of six incidents since June on donkeys that wander partly rural areas of inland southern California.
Rescue Efforts In Progress
The two-year-old female donkey was seen last Wednesday with a arrow shaft embedded in her right shoulder as she traveled with a herd in the lower slopes of the region.
Wildlife rescuers and the county law enforcement responded and assisted in transporting the injured animal in for an urgent operation to remove the arrowhead. The arrow had penetrated the burro’s right lung.
“Her condition is now steady and is upright, which is a huge positive sign,” an animal advocate commented.
When Cupid is back to health, she will become part of a collection of saved burros who meander a 2,000-acre preserve and wildlife preserve.
Incentive Announced for Leads
The animal welfare organization is posting a $24,000 reward, funded by donations, for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone implicated in at least six projectile incidents on burros over the past several months.
The government office of animal services announced that the investigation is continuing, and asked for the community’s assistance in identifying a perpetrator or perpetrators.
Protected Species
Free-roaming asses are protected under federal law. They are an iconic symbol of the western United States, dating to their historical role as beasts of burden for people flocking to California during the Gold Rush.
Burros have become an “informal symbol” of the region, where hundreds of them have wandered at will for at least 75 years. They even aid in wildfire abatement by munching on tinder in hard-to-reach and fire-prone gorges.
“They truly offer a positive contribution to the community. Emergency responders appreciate them because, they say: ‘Hey, these guys can go places we are unable to reach,’” a representative stated.
Community Impact
The animals are docile but occasionally they can be a problem if they chomp on local gardens or cause delays when drivers stop to offer them food from their cars.
In the past, a nearby county, where wild burros are believed to total in the thousands, contracted with a charitable group to humanely capture the animals and relocate them to refuges.
“While the wild burros delight many residents and visitors, they also frequently face road traffic and cargo trains, resulting in tragedy for burros and humans,” the county reported.
“The burros also badly hurt themselves resulting in infection and death when they become entangled in fencing or when their hooves get stuck in cemetery flower vases.”
Repeated Violence
The projectiles used in the attacks were broadheads, a design traditionally used for wildlife harvesting. As stated by non-profit accounts, the initial incident happened the weekend of 14 June, when a juvenile donkey was found eating with an arrow in her side close to where Cupid was spotted.
A few days later, a second burro was found struck with a like design of arrow in the same area. Afterwards, at least more donkeys were attacked in the locale, including a pair believed to be two to four months old.
Fit donkeys usually live 40 years or more and range in dimensions from small “miniatures” that may weigh 135kg to sizable “large breeds”.
Last year, two men pleaded guilty to national offenses for using large-caliber weapons to kill three wild burros in an arid zone.
