Equus asinus
ass
(Also: donkey)

True wild asses are found only in northern Africa and the Arabian peninsula, but domesticated and feral donkeys can now be found in all parts of the world. The native range extends from Morocco to Somalia and Mesopotamia to Oman. (Nowak, 1997; The American Donkey and Mule Society, 1998)

Domestic donkeys are widely distributed and can be found almost everywhere in the world. However, true wild asses originated in the hilly, undulating deserts of northern Africa and the Arabian peninsula and are well-adapted for life in the desert. Domestic donkeys prefer warm, dry climates and, if left to become feral, they will return to such a habitat, like the feral burros of Death Valley National Park in California. Deserts are characterized by low, unpredictable rainfall and sparse vegetation. (Dossenbach, 1983; Nowak, 1997; Phillips, The Wild Burro Rescue, and Preservation Project, 1999; The American Donkey and Mule Society, 1998)

Donkeys resemble horses and are characterized by their large head, long ears, and cow-like tail. They come in black, white, paint, and all shades of brown and gray, but the most common is a mousy gray color called gray dun. Many donkeys are spotted, speckled, or striped. Most solid-color donkeys have a dark dorsal stripe from mane to tail and a dark stripe across their shoulders. They have an erect mane and lack the forelock of a horse. Their hair can be straight, curly, short and wiry, or long and wooly. Wild asses average 200 cm in body length, 45 cm in tail length, 125 cm at the shoulder, and weight 250 kg. Domestic breed size varies greatly depending on breed. Miniatures, the smallest breed of donkeys, stand less than 36 inches (92 cm) at the shoulder and weigh less than 400 pounds (180 kg). Standard donkeys, the average-sized breed, range from 36 inches to 48 inches (92 cm to 123 cm) and weigh 400 to 500 pounds (180 to 225 kg). Mammoth stock, the largest breed of donkeys, stand at an average height of 56 inches (143 cm) and weigh about 950 pounds (430 kg). Miniature and mammoth stock donkeys have been bred by humans to possess certain characteristics that are more desirable or suitable for specific purposes. For example, miniature donkeys are often preferred as pets because their small size makes them easier to care for, and the larger mammoth stock donkeys are stronger work animals than standard donkeys are. There is generally very little sexual dimorphism in donkeys. Wild asses have the longest and narrowest hooves of any Equus species. (Edwards and Geddes, 1988; Nowak, 1997; Oklahoma State University, 1996a; Oklahoma State University, 1996b; The American Donkey and Mule Society, 1998; The Encyclopaedia Brittanica, 15th ed., and Vol. 4, 1992)

The average life span of a wild donkey is 25 to 30 years, but in captivity they can live to be 40 to 50 years old. (Nowak, 1997)

Donkeys are social animals. They are most active in the morning and evening, resting during the heat of the day. In the wild they travel in herds of several individuals to up to one hundred individuals, with an average group size of 4.7 animals.

Donkeys are observant and cautious animals. They will refuse to do anything that seems dangerous to them. This behavior has earned the donkey its reputation for being stubborn, but actually, domestic donkeys are very obedient animals and will not refuse any reasonable order. When a donkey is startled by something, it usually will not run blindly in fear. Its natural instinct is to freeze or run a few steps, then look to see what frightened it. This is unlike the behavior of horses, which tend to panic and "bolt" when frightened.

Domestic donkeys interact well with other livestock animals such as horses, cows, goats, sheep, and llamas. Donkeys are passive by nature, but will aggressively protect their young, and can be trained to protect sheep and goats as well. Donkeys will not hesitate to attack and trample large dogs or even humans if they perceive the animal to be a threat.

Standard size domestic donkeys are useful for halter-breaking young calves and foals. By giving the donkey the job of training the animals, the calf or foal will be more inclined to trust a human, since they do not associate the unpleasant training experience with the human.

Donkeys are used as companions for weaned foals and for nervous, injured, or recovering animals. They have a calming, soothing effect on the animals and help to reduce the stress of traumatic situations.

Donkeys are also being used as companion animals in recreational riding programs for children and for mentally and physically handicapped people. Their affectionate, calm, patient disposition make them ideal for use as a companion animal for other livestock and people. (Honolulu Zoo, 2000; Nowak, 1997; Oklahoma State University, 1996a; Oklahoma State University, 1996b; Rachau, 1996)

Home Range

Mean annual home ranges have been estimated at 19.2 square kilometers. (Nowak, 1997)

Wild asses use visual displays, smells, physical contact, and vocalizations to communicate. They have keen hearing and good senses of vision and smell.

Donkeys are grazing herbivores, with large, flat-surfaced teeth adapted for tearing and chewing plant matter. Their primary food is grass, but they also eat other shrubs and desert plants. Like many other grazing animals, they grasp the plant first with their muscular lips, pull it into their mouth, and then tear it off with their teeth.

In a study of feral donkeys in Arizona, they were found to eat 33% forbs and 40% browse. (Nowak, 1997)

Living in groups increases the number of animals keeping an eye out for predators. Most predation probably occurs on foals and elderly animals. Predators on wild donkeys may have included lions and wolves.

Wild donkeys impact desert vegetation through their grazing and browsing.

The cost of population control of feral donkeys in North America and Europe have been appreciable in some areas. Feral donkeys may contribute to habitat degradation and erosion, particularly in areas where they are not native. (Phillips, The Wild Burro Rescue, and Preservation Project, 1999)

Since donkeys were first domesticated about six thousand years ago, they have been very important in human economies. Egyptian tombs of Dynasty IV (ca. 2675 to 2565 B.C.) indicate that ownership of donkeys was a status symbol, and the elite of society may have owned herds of over a thousand head. Donkeys played a very important role in developing long-distance trade in Egypt, because of their weight-bearing capacity and their adaptation for desert travel. In ancient Egypt, female donkeys were kept as dairy animals. Donkey milk is higher in sugar and protein than cow's milk. The milk was also used for cosmetic and medicinal purposes. Donkey meat was eaten as food by many people. There were domesticated donkeys in Europe by the second millenium B.C. and the first donkeys came to the New World with Christopher Columbus in 1495. Donkeys were introduced to the United States with Mexican explorers. Many of the wild donkeys in the southwestern United States are descendants of escaped or abandoned burros brought by Mexican explorers during the Gold Rush. Throughout history donkeys have been invaluable as beasts of burden. Even today, donkeys are of great economic importance especially in remote areas. They are being used extensively in efforts to boost the economy and alleviate poverty in poorer areas of the world. Miniature donkeys are very popular as companion animals and for show. Mammoth stock are still used as draft animals in small farming businesses around the world. (Dossenbach, 1983; Edwards and Geddes, 1988; The American Donkey and Mule Society, 1998)

Although the future of wild and feral donkeys is uncertain, domestic donkeys are not in danger of extinction in the foreseeable future. However, donkey lovers in the United States and Europe have founded many organizations dedicated to the rescue, preservation, and care of wild, abandoned, or unwanted donkeys. Feral donkeys in Death Valley National Park, California, were under strict population control for many years because they were competing with desert bighorn sheep for very limited resources. Many authorities felt that donkeys were driving the already threatened bighorn sheep to extinction, and about 400 wild donkeys were shot between 1987 and 1995 by National Park Service Rangers as part of their "Direct Reduction" policy. (Dossenbach, 1983; Phillips, The Wild Burro Rescue, and Preservation Project, 1999)

Donkeys have a long and interesting history and their close interaction with humans has resulted in a rich legacy of folklore and myth in ancient Middle-Eastern cultures, and donkeys are included in many biblical stories. (Nowak, 1997)