Now Reading: Rescued donkeys graze firebreaks in Spain’s Doñana park
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Rescued donkeys graze firebreaks in Spain’s Doñana park
Eighteen rescued donkeys are being used to reduce wildfire risk around Spain’s Doñana National Park by grazing on dry grass, shrubs and weeds. The animals work for about seven hours a day from March to November, clearing plots measuring 40 metres by 15 metres and creating natural firebreaks.
The project began in 2014 under Luis Manuel Bejarano, president of the El Burrito Feliz association, which rescues abandoned and mistreated donkeys. The animals are treated by veterinarians and kept in controlled grazing areas. Each donkey drinks about eight gallons of water after its daily work.
Similar schemes are operating elsewhere in Spain, including one in Catalonia involving 62 rescued donkeys. Grazing firebreaks can reduce vegetation fuel by up to 40%, while also supporting animal welfare and rural conservation work.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Grazing firebreaks work by lowering the amount of vegetation available to carry flames, but they are not a standalone wildfire guarantee. Their effectiveness depends on selecting the right corridors, controlling the animals’ movement, supplying water and maintaining cleared areas as vegetation regrows. Protected-area managers must also balance fire prevention with habitat protection, since Doñana is a sensitive wetland ecosystem. The useful measure to watch is whether the cleared network is maintained through the peak summer fire season, rather than the number of animals alone.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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