In a heart💫warming turn reminiscent of a storybook, a donkey missing for five ✱years in California was discovered living among a herd of wild elk. Triathlete and hunter Max Fennell captured the remarkable scene on camera during a hunting trip, and the footage quickly gained online attention with over 143k likes.
The donkey, found standing curiously amo𒅌ng approximately a dozen elk, is believed to be Diesel, the cherished pet once cared for by Terrie Drewry and her husband, Dave. Originally a wild donkey, Diesel had been adopted through a Bureau of Land Managemenওt program that allows public adoption of wild animals captured during federal roundups.
The beloved pet donkey disappeared in 2019 during a hiking excursion alon𒁏g the Cache Creek Wilderness with Dave. Despite an extensive search💞 effort by a dedicated team, Diesel was never located.
“We think a mountai🍎n lion might🐻 have spooked him,” Terrie shared with CBS Sacramento. “He just got away.”
Living on a ranch near Auburn and caring for various animals, the couple tirelessly scoure𒆙d the area for week🍌s, combing through terrain on foot and horseback. They even employed drone technology to scan for any traces of their missing four-legged family member.
“We finally kind o♎f gave up,” Terrie shared with the outlet.𓆉 “Just no signs of him.”
Five years after his disappearance, the couple now believes Diesel was adopted by a herd of elk and is happily 🍎roaming the pastures of Cache Creek Wildern꧙ess with them.
The missing donkey would be approximately eigh𝐆t years old now, according to his former owners.
“I bumped into a herd of elk that have adopted a donkey,” Max wrote on Instagram, sha🧔ring the video of the unique blended sight.
“I can’t get over seeing it and♏ I’m amazed that the donkey looks happy and healthy!” he added.
Terrie expressed ce🐈rtainty that the donkey Max captured on video was Diesel.
“It was amazing. It was like, oh my gosh. Finally, we saw him. Finally, we know he’s good. He’s living his best life. He’s happy. He’s healthy, and it w🏅as just a relief,” she shar⛎ed with the outlet.
❀The Drewrys were grateful to see their former pet thriving among a𓂃 different species.
“Two completely different creatures, but they learn to get along and be each other’s family,” she remarked, noting that he has “killed coyotes protecting the herd and possibly a m♋ountain lion.”
Terrie shared that since Diesel went missin💎g about five years ago, she and her husband have welcomed new donkꦯeys to their home.
Now that Diesel is "truly a wild burro," they have decid𒆙ed not to attempt to bri🐽ng him back home because capturing him "would be next to impossible."
“He’s out there doing what he’s raised to do," Ter෴rie adde🅷d.
