The animals gobble up dry vegetation around the park's ground to prevent the spread of wildfires
Credit: Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Donkeys in Spain are being used to prevent wildfires by grazing on dry vegetation in high-risk areas
- The initiative, led by El Burrito Feliz, has helped protect Doñana National Park from fires for nearly a decade
- Experts say donkeys are ideal for the job and similar programs are being implemented in other regions of Spain
In Spain, a group of unlikely "firefighters" is protecting forests by eating their way across the land.
According to Euronews, donkeys are being used across parts of the country to help prevent wildfires by clearing dry vegetation before it can fuel a blaze. The approach has already yielded favorable results in high-risk areas, including Doñana National Park, where wildfires can burn through thousands of acres due to drought, devastating heatwaves, and the buildup of dry vegetation.
Since 2014, in Doñana, Spain, 18 donkeys have patrolled the outskirts of the national park as part of a long-running prevention project managed by the association El Burrito Feliz. The animals who are "hired" for the route are typically rescue animals that the group's president, Luis Manuel Bejarano, affectionately calls the "herbivorous firefighters."
Credit: Getty
For up to seven hours a day, between March and November, the donkeys will graze around the park's grounds, eating away at the dry undergrowth that can easily fuel wildfires.
The unorthodox program has ultimately been a success. Doñana has not had a forest fire in nearly a decade. The donkeys have gained the affection of the local volunteer group Mujeres por Doñana, who give them water and guide them away from oncoming traffic.
Experts have noted that donkeys were the best animals for the gig compared with cows or sheep, given their ability to ingest rougher, drier vegetation.
Catalonia, Galicia, and the Basque Country have also implemented similar protocols. In Allariz specifically, the Andrea Association used donkeys across nearly 2,500 acres within a biosphere reserve.
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While the initiative has been overwhelmingly positive for local communities, officials note that proper forest planning and land management remain crucial priorities for reducing the presence of highly flammable vegetation.
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