It has become not so uncommon to catch a sight of wild burros in the northern part of Peoria, especially in the Lake Pleasant area near campsites and along roads.
Their roughly 100,000-acre designated herd management area — a specific, designated section of U.S. public land established to protect and maintain certain free-roaming animals — is north of State Route 74 and west of Interstate 17.
Bureau of Land Management officials say wild burros in this area have become over populated, exceeding recommended levels seven-fold, so they have released a draft environmental assessment that analyzes an update to the Lake Pleasant herd management area plan.
