Editing Donkey (section)

== Feral populations ==
[[File:Wild Burros.jpg|thumb|[[Feral]] burros in [[Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area|Red Rock Canyon]]]]

In some areas domestic donkeys have returned to the wild and established [[feral]] populations such as those of the [[List of Bureau of Land Management Herd Management Areas|burro of North America]] and the [[Asinara donkey]] of [[Sardinia]], Italy, both of which have protected status.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}} Feral donkeys can also cause problems, notably in environments that have evolved free of any form of [[equid]], such as Hawaii.<ref name=feral/> There is a small community of feral donkeys on St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, that descend from the animals brought by Danish colonists for agricultural work. While they add to the island's charm, they also cause issues like vegetation damage and road hazards, leading to population management efforts.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Sims |first1=Shannon |last2=Rodríguez |first2=Erika P. |date=2024-12-02 |title=Chilling Out in Coral Bay, Where Even Flip-Flops Are Optional |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/02/travel/st-john-caribbean-usvi.html |access-date=2025-01-20 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Virgin Islands Animals: Donkeys, Hermit Crabs, Birds, Bats, Iguanas |url=https://www.islandrootscharters.com/charter-blog/virgin-islands-animals-donkeys-hermit-crabs-birds-bats-iguanas |access-date=2025-01-20 |website=Island Roots Boat Charters |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-11 |title=A Message From The Donkeys of St. John {{!}} News of St. John |url=https://newsofstjohn.com/a-message-from-the-donkeys-of-st-john/ |access-date=2025-01-20 |website=newsofstjohn.com |language=en-US}}</ref> In Australia, where there may be 5 million [[Feral donkeys in Australia|feral donkeys]],<ref name=roots/> they are regarded as an invasive pest and have a serious impact on the environment. They may compete with livestock and native animals for resources, spread weeds and diseases, foul or damage watering holes and cause erosion.<ref name=aus/>