Have you ever heard of such a name as Equus Asinus? Maybe it's a bird? An insect? A snake? In fact, this complicated name actually belongs to the common donkey. Equus Asinus actually refers to both Wild African ass and the domesticated donkey. Donkeys are characterized by their large head, long, floppy ears, and cow-like tail. As there are many kinds of donkeys, they all come in different sizes and colors. Donkeys can be black, white, all shades of brown and gray, but the most common color is a mousy gray color called gray dun. Many donkeys can be spotted, speckled, or even striped. Mostly solid color donkeys have a dark stripe going down its mane and down the tail. They have an erect mane and can have straight, curly, short and wiry, or long and wooly hair.

Wild asses on average can be 200 cm (78.8 in) in body length and weigh 180 to 225 kg (400 to 500 lbs). Domestic donkey sizes greatly depend on the breed. Miniature donkeys, the smallest breed of donkey, can stand less than 92 cm (36 in) at the shoulders and weigh less than 180 kg (400 lbs). Standard donkeys, the average-sized donkeys, can be from 92 to 123 cm (36 to 48 in) and weigh 180 to 225 kg (400 to 500 lbs). Mammoth stock, the largest breed, can stand on average height of 143 cm (56 in) and can weigh about 430 kg (950 lbs). The mammoth and miniature donkeys have been bred by human kind to enhance some specialized characteristics. For the mammoth breed, they are larger and stronger than the standard donkeys for working. The miniature donkeys are smaller and are more desirable as pets because they are easier to take care of.

Donkeys can be found almost anywhere. True wild asses are found only in North Africa and the Arabian peninsula. They are well adapted to the desert climate of the hilly desserts and grasslands that area. Domestic donkeys prefer warm, dry climates such as the feral burros of Death Valley National Park in Southern California. Donkeys impact desert vegetation through their grazing and browsing. Donkeys even help humans in some parts of the world. It is used for meat and milk. They are great economically in remote places. Miniature donkeys are being used as pets and the mammoth donkeys are drafts animals for small farming all over the world.

While the future of the wild and rural donkeys is uncertain, the domestic donkeys are not going extinct anytime soon. Donkeys only have one offspring every year. There are plenty of donkeys in the world. People have even been trying to actually reduce the population in Death Valley, California. They have been under really strict population control for the desert bighorn sheep. As the sheep were beginning to go extinct, park rangers have had to kill donkeys because they felt like the donkeys were threatening the sheep's existence. They shot about 400 wild donkeys between 1987 and 1995 by National Park Rangers Service as a part of their "Direct Reduction" policy.

Donkeys are grass-grazing herbivores. They even have specialized, flat-surfaced teeth used to tear and chew plant matter. They particularly eat grasses but also eat shrubs or other such desert plants such as leaves, wood, bark or stems. Like many other grazing animals, donkeys grasp the plant with its muscular lips, pull it into its mouth, and tear it off with its teeth. A donkey will not hesitate to attack and trample a large dog or even a human if it seems to be a threat to it or its food. Unlike the horse, a close relative to the donkey, donkeys "push back" rather than to yield to pressure like the horse. This means that if you push a horse and say in a "please move" kind of way, it will move away. Donkeys are independent thinkers and confront challenges. So if you push a donkey, it is likely that it will push you back. This intelligence and survival skills are why horse trainers think that donkeys are stubborn and stupid.

Donkeys live in large groups. This is useful to be on the look out for predators. The more donkeys there are in the group the easier it is to spot predators. This is because donkeys have very good sense of sight and have acute hearing. If needed, they split up and use their very neutral-colored coats to camouflage in the habitat. Most predation probably occurs on foals or elderly donkeys. Predators for the wild donkey are the lion and the wolf. As for donkeys in captivity, they have no real predators.

As you can see, donkeys are not the stupid, stubborn, pack animal that we are used to seeing. They are intelligent, courageous, strong, and survivors. How else could they have survived for thousand and thousand of years? Donkeys are incredible animals.

Interesting Facts: Wild asses have the longest and narrowest hooves of any Equus species. Donkey milk is higher in sugar and protein and less in fat than cow milk. Donkey milk was once valued for medicine to premature babies and sick children and people suffering from tuberculosis. If a donkey is startled, its instinct is to freeze or run a few steps and look at what startled it. Donkeys can be crossed with other animals to make hybrids. Examples: Donkey + Zebra = a Zebrass or a Zonkey. Male donkey (jack) + Female Horse (mare) = Mule. Female Donkey (jennet or jenny) + Male Horse (stallion) = Hinny. Wild asses can live 25 to 30 years while a donkey in captivity can live 40 to 50 years. Donkeys have soothing and calming effect. Donkeys can be companions for weaned foals or for nervous, injured, or recovering animals. They also are ideal to be with children that may be mentally or physically handicapped for their affectionate, calm, and patient disposition. Donkeys are included in many biblical stories and ancient folktale. Donkeys are hardy and remarkably resistant to disease.

Author: Asia B.
Published: 02/2009

Sources:
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Equus_asinus.html 
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/resources/eva_hejda/poitoufohlen.jpg/ view.html http://www.kbrhorse.net/tra/do10101.html http://www.honoluluzoo.org/donkey.htm http://www.ypte.org.uk/animal/donkeys/72

Photo Credit: Donkey (Equus Asinus) at the Toledo Zoo. Dr. Patricia Jones (photographer and copyright holder)