"The Burro Evil": The Eradication of Feral Burros in Grand Canyon National Park

Abstract

A population of feral burros has lived in the Grand Canyon since Spanish conquistadors brought the animals to North America in the sixteenth century. More burros entered the canyon in the late nineteenth century with prospectors who left the animals behind upon leaving the canyon. The National Park Service (NPS) planned to remove burros from the Grand Canyon as early as 1919 when the canyon joined the national park system. Burros are an exotic species in North America and the NPS considered exotic species detrimental to park environments. In 1924, park service administrators created a policy to remove burros from the canyon by shooting them. Nonetheless, fifty-six years later, burros remained in the park. In the 1960s and 1970s, the NPS’s removal attempts outraged the public and greatly complicated its efforts to protect and restore the canyon’s ecosystem. The NPS failed to recognize or acknowledge burros’ cultural importance in the canyon. Despite a strong ecological record to support its policy, the NPS could not sway the public to accept burro eradication. The controversy led to an infuriated public, a negative image of the NPS, and a complicated and lengthy removal process.