GOLDEN VALLEY, AZ — A wild burro trapped overnight in a septic tank in northwestern Arizona was rescued thanks to a coordinated effort involving Bureau of Land Management staff, local residents and an RV park maintenance crew.

According to the Bureau of Land Management, the incident happened near Oatman Highway in Golden Valley, Arizona, within the Black Mountain Herd Management Area, home to what the agency says is the largest herd of wild and free-roaming burros in the country.

BLM wild horse and burro specialists Chad Benson and Eric Duarte responded after receiving reports that a burro had fallen into a septic tank at an RV park. When they arrived, they found the animal struggling to keep its head above water and raw sewage inside the roughly six-foot-deep tank.

Residents at the RV park believed the burro may have been trapped overnight in cold conditions before it was discovered.

The rescue effort involved pumping sewage from the tank, cutting open the top of the structure and using heavy equipment to carefully lift the burro out with straps. Local residents also assisted, including helping locate a backhoe needed for the operation.

After being removed from the tank, the burro was rinsed off, given food and water and allowed time to recover. Later that evening, the animal reportedly wandered back toward nearby public lands.

The BLM said the area’s growing residential development has increased interactions between wild burros and human infrastructure, including roads, fences, swimming pools and septic systems. The agency noted that burros often enter residential areas in search of food and water and can become accustomed to people.

The agency reminded the public not to approach or feed wild burros and encouraged residents to contact the nearest BLM office if they encounter an animal in distress.

“Rescues like this highlight the incredible link between the BLM and local communities,” John Hall, BLM Arizona’s Wild Horse and Burro Program lead, said in the agency’s story.