We just returned from a great week on Bonaire yesterday, but one thing has us scratching our heads. Where did the donkeys go? On our last trip in 2003, we saw them everywhere, this trip we didn't see one. Have they all been rounded up and put at the sanctuary or did we just imagine seeing them roaming about freely last time? We did manage to find the donation box at the airport, and made a deposit though.

Don.. No you did not imagine anything. For a variety of reasons, most of the donkeys on the island have been rounded up & exported or sent to the sanctuary.

Don,

I just returned myself. Like you, I used to see them all over the island. As posted above, they have rounded most of them up. I did however, on 3 or 4 different occasions, see them on the road from Karpata to Rincon as well as on the Karpata shortcut back down south

We noticed that back in March too. The thing that struck us funny was that if the donkey's were put on the sanctuary because they can be somewhat destructive, then who in the heck let the goats out?!?!? We seen more goats then ever...and we all know how destructive goats can be. Vince, do you know if their tendency to be destructive was one of the reasons they were herded up? Where were they exported to?

Patricia,

Donkeys CAN be destructive, and while I am certain they do give the locals a headache or two, it was mostly for the donkeys own protection, as I understand it.

Proper food, medical care, and keeping them from being injured by a car or truck. As far as the goats are concerned...........go figure?

Anyway, and this is very selfish........., part of the ambiance of Bonaire I have always liked is to drink a Heineken and off gas feeding the local wild animals along the highway.

The sanctuary has nothing but their best interests at heart, but there is something different about driving along a road with a bag of apples or carrots, and finding a "Customer" standing at the drive thru, waiting on their order!

Tad (my hero)
We love feeding the donkeys and the iguanas' and any other creature willing to take a handout from us! We miss the donkeys too, but I'm glad to hear they are being well taken care of. We'll just have to keep visiting them at the sanctuary is all. The iguanas' love fruits & veggies by the way. We only feed them at the house & never on the road hoping they make the connection that they need to stay away from the cars on the road.

Tad and Patricia
While I can understand you enjoy feeding the animals, consider that that is the very reason why they get hit by cars. They stand near the road because people feed them. Bad for the donkeys and I believe it has resulted in injuries a even death to car passengers.
Mick

Mick
Excellent point! We never feed the critters from the car on the road just for this reason. We always have their best interest at heart and do all that we can to ensure their safety.

Mickey

Great point!! I HATE it when I hear something I don't want to, but I know it makes sense!! You are absolutely right!

You know what though? I have NEVER had a donkey jump out of nowhere, while driving down the road in Bonaire. Standing in the middle, or on the side of the road,..............YES!! But jump out, without me having time to stop? Never!!!!!!

IMHO, a big part of the problem is the speed that people drive those roads. I stick to 25-40 kilometers per hour on the main roads, and much, much less on the dirt ones. I have been passed like a bat out of hell many times. I think traffic law enforcement would help as well!!

Regardless, I'm not sure I can ever stop feeding the wildlife. I do it here at home with birds, squirrels, groundhogs, etc. But I WILL now call the sanctuary when I come upon one to notify them where it was at........at hope that they can get it to the sanctuary.

Thanks again!! Your comment has really made me think!! Actually, they really seem to have a good life in the sanctuary where they are protected. And I can feed them there all I want!

A (perhaps not very popular) comment to this, but did you ever consider that once you start feeding wildlife, it is not wild anymore. I believe that you are actually hurting the very animals that you want to be nice to. Nature is a rough place, but I say the best we (people) can do is to leave the wild animals as much as at all possible to themselves. Watch, but dont touch and dont feed. Not ever. Just an opinion.

Morm and Mickey,

Again, both excellent points. I guess there are three basic camps on this issue.

One does not condone feeding wild animals in the hopes that it will help their survival rate in the long run. Natural selection? I respect your opinion, and know that you have their best interests at heart.

Another cannot help but feed them, especially the ones who are obviously malnourished. Survival of the fittest is not something I can be witness to.

The third camp could care less!! If animals are malnourished or fallen, it's not their problem! Get them out of the way!

One thing we agree on, however, is that we both do genuinely care for the donkeys, however much we disagree with the others positions on how to best help.

Regardless, I don't think God is looking down at either one of us and frowning in disgust. Good hearted, intelligent people, are going to disagree on how to best solve issues.

Like politics in any country, let's see what we can agree upon to move the ball forward? Calling the sanctuary when you spot wild donkeys? Lowering speed limits, and enforcing them in areas where they are more prevalent? Contributing to the sanctuary.........?

Sorry Norm,

Little typo error. Tanks again for making me consider another point of view!

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."
- Mahatma Gandhi

This last trip of ours in Sept. we saw alot of donkeys on the lac bay side. A few different groups...same day. But quite a significant number of them.
We go to Bonaire twice a year and this was the most we have seen in the past few years.

Ann.
Interesting quote by the good Mr Gandhi. Didn't he say anything similar about how a nation treats its people? A lot of people, here on this site and elsewhere, will get terribly worked up over a dog that dies or a donkey that breaks a leg, while at the same time not be bothered much by the fact that hundreds or thousands of people die in bombings, shootings, stabings, accidents etc every day. For my part, I sometimes miss a sense of perspective. Just a thought....

Norm,

You raise an interesting point. In the course of my animal welfare work on Bonaire more than one Antillean commented to me that "you Americans seem to care more about the animals of Bonaire than you do about the people of Bonaire". We should all remember to care about both, wherever we are.

When I'm down, I tip the waiters and waitresses more than 15 percent, leave the condo maids at least 50 bucks, as well as make sure they can take home, if they wish, any remaining food. I'm not trying to get a pat on the back, as much as to contradict the point that tourists don't care about locals, in Bonaire, or any other destination........., and only the animals!!

However, I DO have more sympathy for the animals, and their ability to control their own destiny among humans, than I do people who have the right to vote, and make their own choices. More importantly, you cannot make one poor decision after another, like a lot of people do here in the states, and expect someone else to pick up the tab!!

Contrary to most media outlets, most successful people are not out to steal from, or take advantage of the poor, or less successful!! Most are very happy to go into detail about how they did this or that, and share their knowledge. How to make a long term game plan....BUDGET!!..... whatever. Most still do it on a regular, ongoing basis!! However, all we hear is that it's not enough to be a mentor. We need your hard earned dollars to pay for our mistakes!!

I'm all for helping those in need. I do it in my private life....as do most of you!! Just don't get into a discussion about how we care about the animals, and not people..........

Tad, I couldn't have stated it better myself! It should be enough that the tourists care, people or animals. It is our right to choose whom or what & how & why we contribute.

Patricia,

Thanks again for your support!! I didn't mean to get on my soapbox, but sometimes, I just can't help it!! If someone can suggest how tourists can help the locals more, I'M ALL EARS!!

IMHO, it's not what the tourists are doing wrong, contributing their dollars to the local economy. It's what the local governments are doing wrong, to best help their own citizens.........

BTW, I also take produce along with me on my travels to feed the iguanas!! They are actually fairly tame, and will allow you to pet, or scratch them, for a handout!! TOO COOL!!!!!!!!

Donkeys? Wasn't this sumpthin' to do with Mexico? um... er...