$10,000 reward offered for arrest of wild burro killers
Source: Associated Press
$10,000 reward offered for arrest of wild burro killers
By JOHN ROGERS
August 23, 2019
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Someone has been killing the wild burros of California’s Mojave Desert, and the Bureau of Land Management is offering up to $10,000 to anyone who can help catch the culprit or culprits.
Over the past three months, 42 burro carcasses containing gunshot wounds have been found scattered along a 60-mile (95-kilometer) stretch of Interstate 15, the main highway linking Los Angeles to Las Vegas.
The animals, like wild horses, are protected under federal law. Anyone found guilty of harassing, branding or killing one faces a fine of up to $2,000 and a year in jail.
More than that, burros are an enduring symbol of the American Southwest. With their pointy ears and distinctive “Hee-Haw” voices, they evoke a time when their sure-footedness in rocky terrain and ability to carry heavy loads long distances without complaint made them perfect pack animals for prospectors and others.
“Wild horses and burros are an iconic part of the American West and part of our national heritage,” William Perry Pendley, BLM’s deputy director for policy and programs, said in a statement Friday. “We will pursue every lead until we’ve arrested and prosecuted those responsible for these cruel, savage deaths, and we welcome the public’s help to bring the perpetrator or perpetrators to justice.”
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Read more: https://apnews.com/14a4515e7fe248f48208bce24e7c7f8c
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