Donkeys used to clean “torrents”

15/05/2012 00:00

Esporles.From now on the municipality of Esporles has a new local brigade to keep its water courses (torrents) free of choking vegetation.
Mayor Miquel Ensenyat explained yesterday that allowing donkeys to graze in the dry river beds was an economical and environmentally sustainable way of making sure the torrents remained open to channel away excess rain water.

The donkeys which historically have played an important role in forest management in the Balearics, have been ceded free of charge to Esporles town council by the Balearic Pure Breeds Association.

The animals, have been given free range in the torrent but handlers have made certain they are sufficiently fenced in to stop them from escaping or causing injury either to themselves or others.