At least 10 donkeys have been killed since December in a series of mysterious attacks in Riverside County, leaving wildlife activists desperate for answers.
The burros, a contentious topic for some residents living near the sprawling pastures where they roam, are a mainstay in the region. Over the last few months, however, they've become prey to an unknown attacker.
The latest attack, which happened over the weekend, was on Cannoli. She was found with a large bite mark on her rear and saved thanks to the work of Dr. Juan Castellanos and the team at SoCal Equine Hospital. While she's expected to make a recovery, wildlife activists in the area say she was one of six donkeys attacked in the last week. The first happened in late December, and two took place in January.
"It wasn't a full-on bite ... it's most likely a side bite," Castellanos said.
One of the nearly dozen donkeys that have been attacked since December last year. Donkeyland
The latest attack is part of a troubling trend for the creatures, which Castellanos says don't have the typical survival instincts of other wild animals.
"They don't know how to survive mountain lions or typical wild dogs; they're getting caught off guard," Castellanos said.
As for the attacker, Castellanos notes that they aren't displaying the usual behavior of predators, which usually attack vital organs for quick kills.
"These behaviors we're seeing are not typical of wild animals," he said. "They know abdomen, neck are the easiest kills."
He said that the recent incidents bear more similarities to dog fights, since they've either been attacked from behind or bitten on the head.
"They're very similar to dog fights," Castellanos said. "I have seen dog attacks before from fights. They usually go for the same area, butt or head. They were trained for that ... They completely avoid the belly and go for the bare skull and snout, that's not your typical predatory behavior."
He's worried that the signs point towards a dog trained to target the donkeys.
"Thats the biggest worry. Someone is out there with a vendetta against the donkeys and release these dogs just to hurt them," he said.
Though beloved by many in the area, the burros have been targeted in other troubling incidents in recent years. Last summer, at least six donkeys were injured when they were shot by arrows. No arrests have yet been made in those attacks, either.
As a result, Donkeyland, the sanctuary that rescues donkeys in the area, is offering a $10,000 reward for information on the recent attacks, which they believe are not the result of a natural predator-prey relationship.