Park officials cleared in burros' deaths

officials cleared in burros' deaths

Two officials cleared in burros' deaths

Employees followed rules in shootings, state parks department says

Two state parks officials have been cleared of wrongdoing in the shooting deaths of nearly six dozen wild donkeys, according to a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department report.

Dan Sholly, a state parks deputy division director and Michael Hill, a regional director, were investigated for animal cruelty charges after shooting 71 feral burros found wandering the Big Bend Ranch State Park over the last year.

The investigation was launched in November after a security guard at the West Texas park, about 280 miles southeast of El Paso, forwarded a complaint that Mr. Sholly and Mr. Hill were shooting the burros and leaving many to "wander off and die."

According to the 122-page report released earlier this month, Mr. Sholly and Mr. Hill shot the animals as part of a department plan to rid the park of feral and so-called nuisance animals. Wildlife officials say the burros can carry diseases and often contaminate the region's scarce water holes.

Although several park employees told investigators that the shootings were unnecessary and cruel, it was concluded that Mr. Hill and Mr. Sholly followed long-established rules for ridding state parks of feral animals.

Mr. Sholly and Mr. Hill did not respond to a request for comment Monday. Neither is based at the 300,000-acre park that abuts the Rio Grande.

Scott Boruff, the department's deputy executive director for operations, said the men began shooting the donkeys after visiting the park as part of an ongoing effort to make the rugged land more accessible to park visitors.

Mr. Boruff said feral animals damage the "fragile habitat."

"Water holes are very few and far between, and they just come and tear them up," he said.

The growing number of wild donkeys – Mr. Boruff estimated that hundreds roam the park – can also limit the department's ability to reintroduce the desert bighorn sheep, he said.