I have been to Bonaire about 10 times, and each time I have appreciated not only the marine resources and the pristine reegs but also the unique flora and fauna of the island, like iguana, flamingos, and wild donkeys. Now, it seems as though a couple of politicans are advocating to kill the wild donkeys because of the number of automobile collisions with donkeys, including one death. Although birth control for donkeys may need to be addressed, the problem also lies with the citizens who speed around Bonaire as if they were on an expressway in Chicago. In fact, I have witnessed a speeding Bonairean kill a dog and not even look back; then on another vacation, I watched in disbelief as another speeding Bonairean ran over a flamingo on the side of the road. so the fault is not just the donkey population; it is also a big human problem. And for an island that markets itself as environmentally progressive and proud of its "natural" resources, killing off all the wild donkeys is an unenlightened and inhumane solution. Perhaps a public relations and education campaign needs to be mounted so Bonairean citizens will learn how to live with the donkeys and not abuse them or injure them carelessly. Most of the tourists that come to Bonaire come for the natural beauty, and most of them are also environmentally sensitive, so a plan to kill off the donkeys all at once or slowly every week (which is the average rate of a donkey/car incident)is a definite mistake for the tourist industry on Bonaire. I hope that if you feel similarly that you will contact government and tourism officials on Bonaire to protest this proposal and to provide more support for Marina Melis' work rescuing, protecting, and caring for the donkeys at the Donkey Sanctuary. pauline from Champaign, Illinois

Please don't touch the donkeys.
I love the Donkeys and not the politicians .

Don't touch the donkeys,let the donkeys live.
The Donkeys are not the problem on the Island.
The Donkeys are part of this island,like the flamingo's and the iguana's
If there are politicans who don't care about nature then it's better to destroy the politicians.
The donkeys are one of the atractions on the island and not the politicians.
The politicians are stupid like most other politics

The donkeys ARE NOT part of the island like the flamingos and iguanas. The donkeys were brought in by man.

Where did you get the info re donkeys...it seems every few years some rumour starts...please get your facts and state your source and then maybe we can head off any "plans" to eliminate the donkeys

Michael, you who? Pauline?

The original post was from back in 2002 - wasn't that before the donkey sanctuary got the extra land and funding, and rounded up as many as they could? I think I remember reading in the BR about just this, but it was a loooong time ago.

Pauline happens to be on island now...I did not realize the post was almost 5 years old!!! Duh?

Everything is brought in by man.
So I think that everybody is part of the island.
Keep the balance between imports and exports.
Man will destroy everything on the Island and then one day they will kill themself,because they don't know anymore what to do.
The Man is the problem and not the nature.
Time will Tell

Good stuff, eh Hendrik? Welcome to BT.

Hendrik, welcome to BT. Seb is of course right when stating that donkeys are not part of the original fauna. And you are right in saying that donkeys are now as much part of the island as every other man-introduced creature, like man himself. Trying to find a balance between nature and human presence on Bonaire, like elsewhere, will be a big challenge with the growing pressure from increasing tourism and all that implies (our wishes and demands). Maybe BT-ers could play a role in asking for more eco-friendly laws and development on the island? But we should in first place consider our own actions. For instance, just going to Bonaire by plane increases global heating and pollution, so we're all guilty by just going there.

Maybe it's better to export some Donkeys in change for some Camels .
Camels don't drink and eat to much and that's good for the nature.
Make some attractions with the donkeys for the tourists ;like a donkey race or create a new donkey-sport.

Welcome to BT, Chilling.

Besides camels and donkey attractions, maybe Bonaire should have kangaroos, weekly "authentic" local fiestas, fairgrounds, large shopping malls, and rodeos as well. I bet that would attract some tourists. It would be the end of Bonaire as well though.

The Donkey's have been part of the island for more than 300 years and they had a hard time to survive in this harsh conditions.
If the politics call for exporting and killing the donkey's then all the dutch will have to go to, they are not part of the founa and flora.
They have hired some dutch people ( who I call ) : DONKEY SNATCHERS>
They export donkey's to Curacao where they feed them to the lions.It's all about money. Bonaire has lost all of its enviromental friendly attitude.