Wanderlust World Wanderlust World A herd of free-ranging, friendly burros is a popular attraction at Custer State Park in South Dakota's Black Hills. Visitors often stop to pet, feed and take pictures of the pack animals, ignoring the park service's regulations and advisories.
According to the state park service, the Custer State Park burros are not native to the Black Hills. Their ancestors were brought to the area by a local entrepreneur in the early 20th century to carry visitors to the top of the park's Harney Peak.
When the rides were discontinued, the entrepreneur released the burros into the wilds of the park.
It is against regulations to feed the burros or any other wild animal at Custer State Park. The park service notes that human food is high in fat and sodium, and that when animals become too comfortable around humans, it increases the chances of an animal-vehicle collision.
The 2009 park brochure advises visitors that, "There is a risk taken when one approaches any animal, including the burros in Custer State Park."
Park authorities sometimes sell members of the burro herd. A notice for the park service's 43rd annual bison auction on Nov. 15, 2008, listed eight burros among the animals up for bid.