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- Twenty-five burros died from bronchopneumonia at a Utah BLM facility.
- Necropsy revealed a viral infection complicated by bacterial infection in burros.
- Advocates call for reforms in BLM's wild horse and burro management practices.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Bureau of Land Management is continuing to take precautionary measures following the deaths of 25 burros at a Axtell holding facility in Utah.
The animals were removed from Canyonlands Herd Management Area in Wayne County earlier this year.
During routine handling for vaccination, equine infectious anemia testing and preparation for the adoption process, the agency said caregivers observed several lethargic burros exhibiting signs of respiratory illness.
The first deaths were reported on March 11. Veterinarians worked with the Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory on postmortem examinations.
Necropsy results identified the cause of death as bronchopneumonia, complicated by a secondary infection with the Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus bacterium. The underlying viral infection causing the death of the animals was identified as a gammaherpes virus.
The BLM said all living affected animals are receiving medical treatment, including antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications to manage symptoms and reduce fever.
As a precaution, exposed burros received a long-acting antibiotic to reduce the risk of secondary infections. The burros were quarantined from other animals at the facility until they recover and receive a clean bill of health from the attending veterinarian.
No other burros at the corrals displayed any symptoms — indicating that it is not spreading beyond the recently gathered animals.
Wild horse advocates said the deaths point to the need for reforms in the agency's wild horse and burro program.
The close quarters and stress from roundups create the unfortunate conditions that lead to disease outbreaks.
This incident is not isolated. In 2023, multiple burros from Nevada died at the same Utah facility. The majority succumbed to hyperlipidemia, a blood disease linked to stress-induced anorexia.
American Wild Horse Conservation said the deaths at the Axtell holding facility underscore a systemic problem faced by the agency — it spends tens of millions of dollars annually to hold over 68,000 wild horses and burros in government corrals, something it says is an unsustainable system.
"The BLM's roundups are confining these animals in feedlot-like conditions where disease spreads rapidly and unnecessarily," said Suzanne Roy, the group's executive director.
"We are heartbroken for these burros who tragically lost their lives as a result of this program and are calling for true reform that prioritizes in-wild conservation and habitat protection, not more suffering behind corrals."
Roy said the deaths are an example of why the agency should shift its on-range management practices, including fertility control programs.
Continuing the current practices will only perpetuate disease outbreaks, animal suffering and escalating costs, the group added.
The advocacy group runs a sophisticated fertility control for wild horses on state land in Nevada. But the BLM has said in the past that a singular focus on that type of herd management would not work in many rugged and remote places in Utah.
