LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Some Mt. Charleston residents are calling for federal officials to intervene to help burros, after several were struck by cars in recent weeks.
Signs on Mt. Charleston warn about burros in the area, urging drivers to exercise caution. Many drivers and tourists do not.
Burros also are difficult for drivers to see and can blend into the desert landscape, according to officials with the U.S. Forest Service.
One resident shared dashcam video with FOX5 of a close encounter with their vehicle and a burro.
“This burro steps out in front of us, and we have to go from 55 down to zero in less than 10 seconds,” said resident Misty Haji-Shiekh. She tells FOX5, there are plenty of other close calls and burro deaths.
“People are speeding. If you have less than 10 seconds to react and you’re going faster than the 55 mile an hour speed limit, you’re not going to react in time. It’s going to be a bad day for the burro. It’s going to be a bad day for you,“ Haji-Sheikh said.
“I have seen dead burros on the side of the road the entire time I have lived here. There have been three or four in the last month. It’s a problem,” she said.
Photos from residents show burros grazing on the sides of roads. Other photos show debris from wrecks caused by cars striking burros.
Some residents like Haji-Sheikh want the U.S. Forest Service to relocate burros to safer territory to allow federal authorities to protect burros and horses from harm and death and manage their populations for certain areas.
There is a similar debate among mountain residents over the relocation of horses, especially after an incident where a little girl was kicked in the head by a horse in a popular picnic area. Others, including thousands who have signed a petition, insist the horses remain on the mountain.
The U.S. Forest Service tells FOX5, there are no plans to relocate burros or horses from the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area in the Mt Charleston area.
A spokesperson sent the following statement to FOX5:
“The presence of wild horses and burros in high-use recreation areas can contribute to negative visitor impacts and unsafe interactions between humans and wild animals. The USDA Forest Service recognizes that there is a need to engage in managing these horses and burro, however, there is no plan in place or timeline for management actions. The Forest Service will engage with the community and seek feedback as part of the planning process when we initiate it.”
Federal officials offered safety guidance for drivers on the mountain:
- When signs indicate burros in the area, drivers must exercise caution and obey the speed limit, especially at night
- Proceed with extra caution at dawn, dusk and blind corners on Nevada State Routes 156 (Lee Canyon Road), 157 (Kyle Canyon Road) and 158 (Deer Creek Road), and in the Cold Creek area
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