WASHINGTON INSIGHT

BURRO NEWS: When the Feds first rounded up “excess” wild burros on public rangelands, they offered the critters for adoption as pets. But then officials learned from Ute and Zuni Indians that burros--while often thought of as stubborn and stupid--are like grizzled junkyard dogs when it comes to keeping coyotes and foxes away from sheep. So now the Bureau of Land Management is besieged by ranchers seeking burros. In coming weeks, there will be two public adoptions in the Dakotas where a burro can be had for $75. . . . BLM Director Jim Baca says everybody wins in the deal, including predators, which are otherwise shot by ranchers in large numbers. “Burros typically keep predators away without harming them,” he said. BLM official Mike Penfold calls guardian burros “a three-barreled shotgun: They’ll trample with their front hoofs, kick with their rear hoofs or offer a ferocious bite.” About 700 will be adopted this year.