Esporles yesterday held a party to greet four new members of the community. Joaneta, Pepa, Barrera and Llum are their names, and they are four donkeys who will be employed to keep vegetation to a minimum in the torrent. Maintaining torrents by reducing vegetation and by getting rid of rubbish and general debris is important in order to allow water to flow properly when the rains come and to also prevent the torrents from bursting their banks and flooding.
Since 2012, Esporles has held a party for the donkeys. It is now becoming something of a tradition, so yesterday there were various activities and games as well as folk dance and food.
The donkeys have been given to the town hall for free by the association which oversees the breeding of pure Majorcan stock. The town hall says that over the years since the donkeys have been used, they have proved to be highly effective in maintaining the torrent and the general forest environment.
Although the village was celebrating, the donkeys were put to work straightaway. They will stay in Esporles until the middle of the summer by which time vegetation suitable for them to eat will be gone.