An Auburn family was devastated when their beloved donkey vanished five years ago.
We initially told you about Diesel when he went away in 2019, and volunteers spent weeks looking for him but never located him. A new video has surfaced, providing a hint as to where he has been all this time.
Terrie Drewry and her husband, Dave, own Diesel. They reside on a ranch near Auburn with other animals. Dave had taken Diesel on a hiking expedition through the Cache Creek backcountry near Clear Lake when something spooked him.
“We think a mountain lion might have spooked him,” Terrie stated. “He just got away.”
They returned for weeks, looking on foot, horseback, and even by drone, but they never found Diesel.
A trail camera caught a sight of him at night about a month later, and they discovered tracks. However, the family grew more concerned about Diesel’s ability to live on his own.
“We finally kind of gave up,” Terrie said. “Just no signs of him.”
Now, five years later, a social media post provides some answers. A man traveling in the forest got video of a lone donkey living with a herd of elk, and Terrie is confident it is Diesel.
“It was great. It was like, “Oh my goodness.” We finally spotted him. Finally, we know he is good. He is enjoying his best life. He’s happy. Terrie remarked, “He’s healthy, and it was a relief.”
The elk herd is located a few miles from where Diesel originally went missing, in an area with no wild donkeys.
“Two completely different creatures, but they learn to get along and be each other’s family,” said Terrie.
Terrie said that there are even indicators that Diesel is guarding his new family against predators.
“He’s killed coyotes protecting the herd and possibly a mountain lion,” added Terrie.
The Drewrys have adopted new donkeys and have no intentions to capture Diesel.
“To catch him would be next to impossible,” Terrie remarked. “He is truly a wild burro now.”
They’re just thrilled that Diesel is healthy and has found a new family.
“He’s out there doing what he was raised to do,” Terrie explained.
Terrie stated that Diesel is roughly eight years old, and donkeys may live for 30 to 40 years.
