This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The Bureau of Land Management is investigating the deaths of 18 wild burros in southeastern Utah — a majority of which died shortly after being corralled in the spring.
The deaths occurred from April 22 to June 10, according to a BLM news release, amid the more than 225 burros captured from the Sinbad herd near the San Rafael Swell. Fifteen of the deaths happened at the 32-acre private ranch in Axtell, with the other three occurring on the range.
Veterinarians completed initial necropsies on seven of the burros, but they have not released a cause of death, the release states. Officials said there were no obvious signs of trauma or illness in the animals, but they plan to monitor the Sinbad Herd Management Area with an aerial survey of the land.
The Axtell corral is temporarily closed, and no burros will be moved from the area until the investigation is complete.
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