A Donkey That Went Missing Years Ago Was Just Found Living Happily With a Herd of Elk
In 2018, Terrie and David Drewry thought they had it all figured out. They adopted a burro named Diesel from the Bureau of Land Management and planned to use him as a trusty pack animal for hikes.
Diesel moved onto their California ranch while making friends with chickens, a llama, and a miniature donkey. For about a year, life was calm. Then April 2019 came along, and Diesel decided he was done with the whole “domesticated pet” thing.
Diesel Said “Nope” to Domestic Life
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While hiking in the 30,000-acre Cache Creek Wilderness northwest of Sacramento, Diesel got spooked, most likely by a mountain lion, and took off like his tail was on fire. In the process, he dragged David through the bushes before vanishing completely.
The Drewrys searched for weeks while finding hoof prints and maybe even catching him on a trail camera, but he was gone. They figured the odds of a lone donkey surviving in predator country for over a few months were about as good as finding Wi-Fi in the wilderness.
Fast forward five years. A triathlete‑turned‑hunter named Max Fennell is out in Northern California when he spots a herd of Tule elk. He starts filming, because hey, elk are cool. Then he notices one elk looks… different. It turns out it was a donkey; specifically, Terrie and David’s donkey.
Social Media Loses Its Mind
In the video, the elk freeze when they spot Fennell. Nobody moves until Diesel sizes up the situation and basically says, “It’s fine, guys,” before trotting away. The elk follow like he’s their union rep.
Fennell posted the video to Instagram in March 2024, and it went viral. Somehow, the internet decided this was all happening in Wyoming. An X/Twitter account posted, “Four years ago, a donkey named Diesel went missing in Wyoming. He’s now part of an elk community.”
Diesel, the Elk Bodyguard
Image via Getty Images/BL Fink
Once the Drewrys see the video, they confirm it’s Diesel. And not only is he alive, but he’s thriving!
Terrie says he’s probably killed multiple coyotes and may have even taken out a mountain lion. A game warden in the area found a mountain lion killed “by a hooved animal,” and, well, this donkey has hooves. Experts say it’s not impossible.
There are farmers out there who use donkeys instead of dogs to guard livestock. They bray loudly and kick like they mean it while charging at predators with teeth bared. Diesel seems to have applied these skills to his new gig of protecting a smaller species of elk that, frankly, hit the jackpot when they got him.
No Rescue Mission Planned
You might think the Drewrys would want their beloved runaway back, but nope. Terrie says he’s “living his best life,” and it’s hard to argue. He’s got a herd of elk who clearly respect him, more open space than any pasture could offer, and enough grass to last a lifetime.
Not to mention that Diesel is truly a wild burro now after five years of freedom. The idea of hauling him back to the ranch so he can hang out with chickens again seems almost cruel. As far as the Drewrys are concerned, he’s chosen his path.
Missing Pet Turned Local Legend
Image via Getty Images/itan1409e
Diesel’s story is the wildest tale you didn’t know you needed. Call him the bravest donkey ever or the most unlikely elk bodyguard, but one thing’s clear: Diesel has redefined what it means to live your best life. Reddit summed it up best: “He found his tribe.”