Mammoth donkeys are suitable for riding and draught work. Beyond the standard sizes of domestic donkeys, there are a wide variety of breeds and classifications including the characteristically shaggy Poitou donkey, the African Wild Ass, and the South American Burro.
While an ideal environment for a donkey varies by breed and size, there are many consistent factors that need to be considered whether the donkey is miniature or mammoth.
First, donkeys are very social and thrive in an environment where they can interact with other donkeys or equines. As a rule of thumb, standard and mammoths can be kept with large ponies and horses, as they are equivalent in size and strength. Equines are very physical in their play and interactions, meaning that a miniature donkey in a pen of larger horses or donkeys can easily be injured. Second, as donkeys are social, they form very strong bonds with their companions.
Losing their companion or being separated from them can negatively impact their health and their life span. Donkeys outlive most horses and are best matched with another donkey. Their average lifespan is over 27 years and they can often live up to 40 years. If a donkey loses a companion, it is important to let them see their partner and allow time to grieve.
Have we mentioned how smart donkeys are yet? Donkeys are notoriously tough, stubborn, and very intelligent. This combination makes them very hardy, but also difficult to diagnose health problems early on. When considering a donkey as a pet or companion, it is good to know what health problems are common, this way you can keep a good eye out for signs or symptoms before anything becomes too serious.
Donkeys require a simple life and little more than the necessities: food, water and shelter. While shelter and water are self-explanatory, food for donkeys can be tricky. Donkeys require less sugar and less protein than horses as they are predisposed to metabolic diseases and obesity. Consult a vet or nutritionist to help establish a safe diet for your donkey based on their age, size, and activity level.
This is one of the biggest health issues donkeys face. Wild donkeys are only found in deserts and savannahs in northern Africa from Morocco to Somalia, in the Arabian Peninsula and in the Middle East.
Domesticated donkeys, on the other hand, are found all over the world, but prefer dry, warm areas. The Abyssinian donkey, for example, is bred in Ethiopia, according to Oklahoma State University , while the Anatolia donkey is bred in Turkey. Male donkeys are called jacks and females are called jennets or jennies. Donkeys are very social and usually live in a group called a herd.
The herd is usually lead by one jack and consists of several jennies in the wild. Some larger herds have been found that include several males. As long as the additional males are submissive to the dominant male, everything goes smoothly. In the wild, herds often break up and reform with new members on a regular basis.
Donkeys spend their days resting during the hottest part of the day. They are more active during the mornings and evenings, traveling and eating with the herd. Domestic donkeys are typically used for pack animals or for milk, according to The Global Invasive Species Database.
Sometimes donkeys are trained to protect other livestock from predators. They will stomp any animal they feel is a threat. Donkeys typically like to eat grass, though they also eat shrubs and desert plants. Instead of ripping the grass right away with their teeth, donkeys grab the plant with their lips, pull it in their mouth, then rip it with their flat teeth and grind it down for swallowing.
Over 50 million donkeys and mules exist in the world, but despite this the number of pure-bred animals within each breed is generally low, with several on the verge of extinction. There is a tendency to treat donkeys as if they are small horses, but donkeys are different! Donkeys are not like horses; they differ physically, mentally and emotionally. To learn more about donkeys and their care take a look at our Donkey Care Guide. Donkeys today come in all shapes, sizes, colours and coat texture.
The most common coat colour is grey, followed by brown and then black, roan and broken coloured donkeys a combination of brown and white or black and white markings and the rarest colour is pure white. Many different colours, sizes and shapes of donkeys can be seen as you walk around The Donkey Sanctuary but the most noticeable is probably the difference between the resident herd and the Poitou donkeys.
They originate from France and stand at 14 to 15 hands, they have a thick coat which traditionally is matted and tangled and is brown bay in colour. Thanks to tenacious work carried out by The Donkey Sanctuary we have been provided with a sound base on which to further investigate the 17 breeds of donkeys currently known in Europe. While we don't have all the different donkey breeds living at The Donkey Sanctuary here in the UK, there are different breeds and cross-breeds synonymous with the area from which they originate at our rescue centres in Cyprus , Italy and Spain.
Yearling : A yearling is a young male or female donkey between one and two years of age. Hinny : A hinny is the result of breeding between a female donkey and a male horse.
Mule : A mule is the result of breeding between a male donkey and a female horse. Although millions of years ago donkeys and horses had the same ancestors they have evolved to be very different species and understanding those differences are of vital importance to the care and welfare of donkeys.
There are two distinct species of wild donkey; the Asiatic branch of the species came from an area stretching from the Red Sea to Northern India and Tibet where the ass had to adapt to different climate, terrain and altitude. Consequently there is more than one type of Asiatic wild ass.
There were two separate species of the African ass: the Nubian wild ass and the Somali wild ass. Our modern domesticated donkeys are all descended from these African wild asses ancestors.
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