Got room under the tree for a Christmas burro?

HERRIMAN — It seems wild burros just might make great pets for grandchildren.

At least, so supposes Max Warren, who drove Saturday morning from Neola in Duchesne County to a cold, snowy corral at the base of the Oquirrh Mountains in the southwestern Salt Lake Valley in hopes of adopting one of 45 wild burros rounded up from northern Nevada.

It's Warren's first burro, and he was ready to haul it back to his 15-acre ranch for his granddaughters.

"Thought we might try 'em out and see how they do for a pet," he said.

The lasses will go for rides on their backs.

Warren admits to knowing very little about burros — he had to consult a dictionary to determine the differences between a jackass and a burro.

"I can tell you about horses," he added with a laugh.

Warren hoped to adopt one of the 30 "jennies" that ranged in age from 1 to 8.

Although the herd of living legends outnumbered applicants to adopt them at the Bureau of Land Management's Wild Horse and Burro Center, facility manager Art DiGrazia estimated there will be more demand for burros than supply.

Between 1979 and 1987, DiGrazia estimates, about 35,000 burros were rounded up. These days, burro numbers are at "management" levels, which means fewer need to be captured for adoption in order to maintain an ecological balance on the open range.

"This is a great opportunity to get a burro," said DiGrazia, who wore a cowboy hat, green handkerchief around his neck and a grin beneath his thick mustache.

The BLM has facilities in Delta and Cedar City, where DiGrazia said some of the burros could go to be adopted.

Sometimes, people's reasoning for adopting a wild jack or jenny — a male or female burro — is somewhat elusive.

"I don't know, I just want one," said Alton Chappell.

With a little prodding, the real reason came out. Chappell and his wife Barbara have 13 grandchildren, the oldest one being 11 years old and already handy with a horse.

"Got to have something to do," said Alton Chappell, who wore a baseball cap bearing the logo, "Dunbrokus Farms."

The reason for the funny name?

"That's what a farm does to you," he said.