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Tengrinews.kz – Residents of two districts in the Zhambyl Region are complaining about a donkey invasion. They say there are so many animals that livestock are running out of pasture, and the carcasses of dead donkeys are contaminating rivers, KТK reports.
Pack animals have overrun the pastures of the Baizak and Talas districts. The authorities have so far been unable to take action either against the situation or the owner, who has amassed a massive herd — over 3,000 donkeys.
Residents say they’ve been watching trucks bring in donkeys to their villages for the second year in a row. According to the latest count, there are now more than 3,000 animals, and they are devouring everything in sight.
“Look, there’s nothing left of the pastures. Our livestock are thin and dying. The donkeys eat everything clean. This year, we can’t even prepare hay for winter - there’s no grass left,” complained Kazturghan Bolysbayev, a resident of Baizak District.
Villagers say they couldn’t stock up on hay for their domestic animals this year. What worries them most, however, is that donkeys are now dying en masse from an unknown disease, and their carcasses are scattered all over the area.
Locals fear the mysterious illness affecting the animals. They demand that samples be taken and that water bodies contaminated by carcasses be cleaned.
It turned out that the donkeys belong to a local entrepreneur who buys the animals from different regions across Kazakhstan and releases them for free grazing in the Zhambyl Region. What he plans to do with them remains unclear, though locals say he was intending to produce donkey meat.
“We have repeatedly asked the owner to collect his herd, but he keeps making promises and doesn’t follow through. We’ve already appealed to the relevant authorities and the veterinary inspection,” said Olzhas Bakkarov, Akim (district head) of Baizak District.
Meanwhile, regional officials have taken up the “donkey case.” They are reportedly considering sending the animals to China, where, according to food bloggers, donkey meat is highly valued and used to make burgers and baked goods.
