After five years, a lost donkey was found thriving with an elk herd

Photo Credit (Pixels)

In a stunning story from Northern California, a herd of elk in the Cache Creek Wilderness has been seen coexisting peacefully with a donkey that vanished in 2019. Hunter Max Fennell posted the sighting to Instagram, providing the first update on Diesel, the donkey that vanished after being frightened during a trek.

Diesel’s owners, Dave and Terrie Drewry, have looked far and wide for their cherished donkey, employing drones among other tools. The idea that Diesel might not make it in the wild demoralized them. Diesel, however, appears to be a happy and healthy adult donkey living with the elk herd in the most current footage.

When Terrie Drewry saw the video, she expressed relief and happiness. “He is leading the life of his dreams,” she said to CBS News Sacramento. “Seeing him was a comfort, and he is happy and well.””

Diesel was originally a feral donkey that the Drewrys adopted via a program run by the Bureau of Land Management that makes it easier to adopt mules, wild horses, and donkeys. The Drewrys have recently adopted other donkeys, but they don’t intend to bring Diesel back because they recognize that he has evolved into a true wild burro.

To apprehend him would be nearly impossible, as Terrie stated. At eight years old, Diesel still has a long life ahead of him and seems to be thriving in his new wild environment.