Existing comment:
Brighty of the Grand Canyon:
Burros wandered the steep canyon slopes long before Congress established Grand Canyon National Park in 1919. Miners introduced these beasts of burden to haul supplies in and out of their camps, and then abandoned them. Left to roam freely, the burrows spent winters within the sheltered walls of the canyon. Many emerged in spring to feast on lush meadow grasses. In 1892, one particular burro became a fixture in North Rim folklore when he ambled up from Bright Angel Canyon. Area residents nicknamed him Brighty, the hermit of Bright Angel Creek.
Brighty's tolerance of human whims captured visitors' hearts and imaginations. When area residents could, they captured the charismatic burro and put him to work hauling water and supplies. Especially tolerant of children, the wild burro allowed boys and girls to rid atop his back. In 1953, Marguerite Henry immortalized the burro in 'Brighty of the Grand Canyon.' This popular children's book became a feature-length film of the same name in 1965.
While storytellers celebrated Brighty's legend, few delved into the controversial legacy of feral burros in Grand Canyon National Park. Left unchecked, the free-ranging burros competed with native species like deer and bighorn sheep by devouring vegetation and fouling precious water holes. After a lengthy debate, the National Park Service decided to remove the burros from Grand Canyon. By 1981, most of these non-native animals had been captured and placed in adoption centers. |